Divine Intervention
by StoryCurrentlyUntitled
Summary: Second chances are something that should be allowed to everyone, right? Pete and Tazusa are certianly no exception. But when our skaing-flying duo is paired up again, will Tazusa fall for Pete again or will she fall for someone else? Happy ending! PxT!
1. Prologue

**Sorry to all of my readers for this story, I did have some corrections to make but now it's back and much better than before. I do not own any of the characters in this story save for Sasaki Hideaki and Suke, the creators of this show own all the rest. I think I may have borrowed some scenes from Hitch, but I changed those as to avoid getting into any trouble with copyright laws. These scenes are still similar to those in parts of Hitch, but I love the Pete/Tazusa pairing and I knew that for this story to go the way I planned I would need another guy in the story and I really don't like to hate my own characters. So I made the other main character to resemble a movie character I like to make sure I didn't. I hope you all enjoy this newer version of the story! Also, don't hesitate to ask if you'd like a short follow up, or any other short stories from me for this show. Feel free to make suggestions for one-shot that you would like me to write! I do love to write! I've said it before and I'll say it again, there are not enough stories for this show! It's such a good show too! So please, if you like to hear more, please send me a P.M. and let me know. **

**I do not accept flames, so please do not flame my stories. If you do not like it, you don't have to read it you know, no reason to pick people apart. I do accecpt constructive criticism and all forms of praise! Feel free to leave suggestions for things you think I could do better or telling me about what you liked!**

**B.T.W. this story was originally called "Divine Intervention," but the first posting didn't go as planned so I took it down that same night and re-posted it. It's going back up this time under it's first name, which was "Divine Intervention" instead of "A Deal With Divinity." So, it is the same story, just revised and edited.**

Divine Intervention

Prologue

Since his departure she had found that she had lost that spark, that small light in her life that made her want to go the extra mile and force it upon herself to do better. The truth of it all is that somewhere deep inside of her heart she knows she won't ever be able to forget him. It will never come to pass that she will want to erase her memories of Pete, lest some sort of higher power would intervene and even then it would have to be for a _damn_ good reason. Not only because of the fact that she loves and misses the ghost boy so much, but also for Pete himself.

He was such a lively soul, a happy spirit with a wonderful disposition and an ever-positive outlook on SakuranoTazusa's life and the goings on within that young life. Even though his own life had all ready ended, he had truly been alivewithin her. He had been alive with her. They had lived for _one another_. And she lives on for him. Because it's complicated not to fall in love with someone when they had literally become a part of you. For an entire one hundred days the two of them had quite realistically been inseparable when he had fallen from heaven as an angel unable to enter paradise.

At first the thought of spending every waking moment with someone always by your side like that was a thought that Tazusa couldn't bear. Not with all the pressure that she had been under, not with the Olympics and her career on the line as they were at the time. And sharing the feeling of needing to go to the bathroom with some stranger, which he was at the time, was a scary and overwhelming concept for a sixteen-year-old girl. Not to mention the fact that he had been able to feel everything else she felt, including her feelings toward other men. Pete had also been able to see what ever she saw, which meant changing with a blindfold on, bathing with a blindfold on and making sure to never, ever forget it before doing either of the aforementioned activities.

She had a rather apparent distaste for the boy at first, as funny as it seems now that she misses him so. Now she can see how ridiculous it was for her to not want him with her every moment. Now Tazusa knows that it had truly been childish and wrong to treat him so badly. Doing mean things like eating tomatoes, a food that Pete hated or taking extremely hot baths or swallowing a whole bottle of the hottest hot sauce just to torture him. It had been time wasted being mad at the wrong person in the beginning.

But after a while she had come around, warming up to his ideas and growing comfortable with his constant presence. It had come to feel as if Pete had been there for all of her life, sort of like the annoying best friend that you can't get rid of. He was always helping her out when things were looking bad, always comforting her when she was upset or thought there was no way out of her predicaments. There honestly had never been such a kind person as him in her life before.

Tazusa now walks quietly down the empty afternoon street wanting desperately to open her mouth and speak with Pete. However she ultimately bites down on her tongue, reminding herself that talking to herself in public anymore than she all ready has will only cause more trouble for her. Anyway, it isn't as if Pete is there to talk to. He's in heaven, which needless-to-say, means that he is not technically with her and it's therefore idiotic to stand in the middle of the street in broad daylight, talking to no one apparent to those around her.

She sighs irritably to herself but quickly tries to smile once more. If the last thing that Pete had wanted from her was to see her smile and that was their connection now, then she could do nothing but feign or force a smile. Of course, it isn't always a fake. Sometimes when she really sets her mind onto it, she can truly be happy for him, to commemorate the time they spent together and to prove that it was not and never will be an imaginary relationship.

If someone who's important to you dies, and you are left behind as the sole person with knowledge of the said person's existence then, in Tazusa's opinion, you should grieve. When a good person dies, someone should care, someone should notice and grieve and be upset. Otherwise, the one who died is alone.

She looks up as she hears a plane engine overhead, a tiny thing with small twin engines and a brown coat of paint, flying very low in the sky. A smile works its way across her soft, lightly tanned skin; the wind catches her hair, toying with it, tossing it across her face. This is how she knows that Pete's always watching her. This is her proof that he is still all around her, all the time.

Moments when the wind plays with her hair like this, or when a plane just happens to fly directly over her or when the sun warms her skin, she can feel that Pete is close. She can feel him there, cheering her on at her meets as if he is still right beside her, moving with her while she skates. She can feel the gentle touch of his hand against the side of her face, even though the entire time he had possessed her they couldn't actually touch.

This fact however, could not stop her imagination and boy had she ever thought about what it would be like to have his arms wrapped up around her. He is the only one worthy enough to touch the ten billon yen beauty, or at least in her opinion. He had placed his hands on her shoulders or held her hand many a time while they were together, but being able to actually touch would have been fantastic.

In the end they had kissed, twice and not nearly enough to please the outspoken skater. If she had it her way, they would have kissed many more times before he had suddenly vanished. She didn't want to have to let him go.

But now, here she is on her way to the nearest church to sit and pray. Quietly as she can, she pushes the back door ajar slightly and slides in, tip-toeing in an attempt to not be noticed. Any time previous to this afternoon, coming into the house of worship quietly and sitting down in a pew to speak to Pete had been a success. But, for some unforeseen reason, today the pastor of the building is present as well.

Of course, the only right way for the girl to become completely aware of the fact that she is not alone is through the element of surprise. Just as she claims an empty pew and takes a seat, smiling up at the stained glass cross etched into the large window over the altar, someone taps her shoulder.

Alarmed, Tazusa whirls around in her seat, only to be met with the smiling face of the minister. She places a hand over her heart, taking a few deep breaths. "Oh dear, I'm sorry to have startled you miss." He speaks quite formally, even for someone of his age and obvious foreign decent. His eyes are blue and his hair is naturally brown with a few gray streaks representing his age. His smile is kind and genuine, not like many, but not unlike Pete's. She gives an apologetic smile after shaking her head profusely.

"No, I'm the one who's being intrusive. I'll go now…" Just as she stands up, the man speaks again.

"You do not have to leave young lady. Please, sit down and feel welcome to stay. The church does not belong to me alone. It belongs to all those who believe." Tazusa makes a face, looking slighting confused and slightly ashamed for not having any idea what he's talking about. She knows that she is about to sound stupid but she asks anyway.

"Believe what?"

The man does not seem to be judging her, but only smiles and shrugs. "That's for you to decide on your own. So tell me child, why have you come here today?" She looks back up at the stained glass cross and smiles sadly.

"I doubt that if I told you that you would believe in my words." Tazusa speaks in a small voice, very contrary to her usual confidant tone. His laugh in response sounds to her like a "try me" laugh, so she turns to see his face.

He looks like someone who has been through a lot of unbelievable experiences in his life, so she decides to tell him the story. Who can it hurt if just one person knew Sakurano Tazusa's real story during the time of the 2006 Olympic games? Certainly it will not hurt not the pastor about to hear the story and definitely it will not hurt Tazusa. She's dying to at least be able to spill herself to someone. It's such a big burden to carry, knowing that if she tells that everyone will think she's insane and that if she does not she will surely burst apart. So, ultimately, this is a win-win situation right?

She turns, swinging her legs up over the pew so she can sit on her knees on the cushioned seat while she begins telling her story to the man with the endless smile. "You see, a while back ago, I was a selfish girl, someone who only ever thought of ways to advance as a figure skater. But then I met Pete, a ghost who somehow got stuck with me. Apparently for 100 days after he died he couldn't go to heaven no matter what so, he stayed with me."

Her smile is gentle, filled with nostalgia as she looks off in some distant direction at some unknown, but seemingly very interesting invisible object. She closes her eyes for just a moment and when they re-open they are full of amusement. "Actually, when I first found out that I'd be stuck to someone for a hundred days, I was pretty angry," She laughs here, but it is empty, not full of humor. "I thought 'I can't believe this! I'm so unlucky! Why's this have to happen to me?' But I was only thinking about myself, and not about the boy in the beginning."

The man gives a nod a few minutes into her lengthy pause, urging her to continue, which she does after another deep breath. "He helped me so much, even when I thought it was annoying, even when I didn't think he could help, he still did. But, in the end, the hundred days were gone and so is he. It's such a shame because he deserved to havea long, happy life too. A life filled with his loved ones and happiness. He didn't deserve to die when he was onyl sixteen." Ending the monologue here, the girl lowers her head to turn around and quietly faces the altar, looking back up at the cross.

"I hope you don't mind. I come here every day and think of him, of how he's doing up in heaven and if he still thinks of Sakurano Tazusa even though he's in paradise. I hope that he does miss me and I hope that he thinks of me as often as I do him." She smiles to herself after she is finished speaking. The man shakes his head as she watches him discreetly out of the corner of her eye.

"No, I don't mind. Today, because you came here, I got to hear such a nice story." He seems genuine enough, not like he hadn't been paying attetion or doesn't believe her. This man seems to really appreciate the story and also seems like he considers it a privilege it have heard it.

She smiles. "It's okay if you really don't believe me. It isn't something that just happens everyday to everyone, so I understand, but I know that it was real."

Again the man shakes his head and she looks back at him over her shoulder, surprised. "No, I believe you. After all, you're Sakurano Tazusa, the ten billion yen beauty, right? Why would you make up such an elaborate story? To get attention?"

Her eyes widen a bit as she comes to realize that this man had known her name and she had never given it, which is also an irregular occurrence, even if she is a famous skater. Even though plenty of people in Japan know her, she no longer assumes that everyone should. It's a new attitude that she has adopted since Pete's departure.

But when she turns around to ask if he is a man who watches figure skating or not, something in his expression has changed and it catches her off guard. His smile is less that of comforting and gentle and now more of a knowing smile. Her own mouth falls agape and she quickly snaps it shut again when she realizes, knowing that she must look dumb in front of this stranger. "Um…" But he stands up, surprising her back into silence as he walks around to stand in front of the pews.

"I know all ready of your struggles. And I know whom your heart aches to be with. I have something for you," The man seems suddenly like a completely different person and it takes a moment for Tazusa to piece it together in her mind. When it does fall into place and she realizes just who this being is standing in front of her, her eyes widen. Can this really be God?

If anything, the knowing smile on his face widens a bit more. She leans forward anxiously in her chair. "Yes?" As the word falls from her lips, a familiar figure appears beside her, clad in his normal blue long sleeved tee shirt and khaki cargo jeans. A friendly smile graces his bright and glowing skin, his blue eyes as warm and inviting as ever. His soft, sandy blond hair rests gently over his eyes.

"Hi Tazusa!" His voice is the same as always, energetic and passionate, full of nothing but joy. Her eyes begin to widen even further if it is possible and fill with tears as well. The man smiles gently at the two teens, Pete watching the teary-eyed girl. The angelic glow around him dissipates, fading away bit by bit until it is completely gone and at that very moment he reaches over and sets to work wiping away the tears still clinging to her eyelashes.

"I won't have you crying Tazusa. What did I tell you about tears?" He tells her softly, giving her a huge, goofy smile. At these words, she can't help smiling back at him because she understands that she has made a promise to smile, for him. However, a thought now strikes her.

She realizes that Pete is actually touching her, his hand not falling through her and she is so curious that her hand comes up to his cheek as well and she emits a small gasp, feeling skin underneath her hand. His smile widens a bit. "Come on Tazusa, just now I reminded you. No crying." His voice is so soft.

They both look toward the minister at the front pew, who is smiling warmly at the two of them. "Why?" Finally giving a nod, he decides it's time to clue them in on the situation.

"There are two possible outcomes of this situation as far as I see it," Both teens look interested in this, straightening up a little in their seats as if this will increase their auditory abilities.

"Outcome one: You don't agree to the following terms and Pete stays in Heaven with me while you remain on earth, only knowing of your time together before now and keep your current memories," They glance confusedly at one another as the man continues to speak, neither sure of what's about to become of them. "Or outcome two: In this outcome, I will allow Pete to come back for another one hundred days as a ghost who will possess you, just as before…"

Pete and Tazusa look excitedly at one another but soon loose that enthusiasm as the almighty continues. "But, I didn't say that this was going to be easy. I want to test this relationship of yours, but not for my sake. I want you to figure out whether this is real love or not on your own. That's why I've prepared to make you this deal." Tazusa looks at Pete as if he can give her some insight as to what's going to happen, but ghost boy only shrugs, clueless and just as helpful as ever. Tazusa makes a face at this

"I will give you the following 100 days after you leave this building to prove that your relationship is real. But the catch is that both of you will have no recollection of each other from the last time he had possessed you." Worried, Tazusa clutches onto Pete's shoulder, who in turn pulls her close, trying to be comforting. God gives a gentle smile.

"Now, if in that one hundred days you two do not come to love one another again without those old memories, Pete has to go back to Heaven with me and you will stay here on Earth with your old memories. But, if you do come to love each other in those one hundred days all over again and can admit it to one another then I will give Pete his life back to live with you here on Earth, all memories intact."

Both Pete and Tazusa are overjoyed at the news initially, but when Pete turns to Tazusa, she can tell that he doubts this scenario. "Tazusa…what if…" Quickly hushing the boy and then pulling her finger away, she looks into his eyes determinedly. "Don't say that we can't do it. We've proven it once haven't we? Besides, this is the girl with ten billion yen's worth of good looks you're talking to. I can do anything I set my mind to. I won't lose to a little road bump like this!"

Her voice is so sure that it soothes him and his ever faithful smile returns as her leans into her, nodding. "You're right! We've done it all before and we'll do it again!" She nods and they both look back at God, ready.

"We accept your challenge!" Both Pete and Tazusa are filled with nothing but confidence. Smiling at the two youngsters, he nods.

"It is done then. When you leave this building, the deal takes effect." And with that, the man is gone.

Left alone at last, the human figure skater and the temporary human glance at one another, looking wistful. It has been quite a while since they have last been together. She can't figure out just exactly what she feels at this moment. It is a bubbly, excited feeling in her Tazusa slides a bit closer and Pete's blue eyes widen in surprise. "Pete, I missed you," She tells him carefully, looking up to find his eyes full of nothing but joy. She once again turns to so she can sit on her knees in the pew, lacing her fingers tightly through his.

"I did too. I watched you go through your days, wanting to share them with you again and I couldn't."

"Hey, Pete," Her eyelids tremble a bit, her deep blue eyes looking somewhat timid. He grins widely, turning as far as he can toward the girl, his hand tightening around hers.

"Yeah?" As always, his speech is as soft as velvet, his eyes a rainstorm of blue, piercing into her very soul. His skin is actually against hers, and being able to feel his touch may be the thing driving her the most insane right now. Even before, when they had been together every day and he had always annoyed her. Sometimes the thing she had wanted the most was to be able to touch him then as she can at this moment.

She smiles at him looking as if she had decided upon something in a spilt second. "I know that you will only remember until the minute we walk outside. I know that I'll forget then too. But, that stuff doesn't matter to me. I love you. I really love you, Pete."

Pete feels his face heat up rather quickly at her words, but he looks right into her eyes despite this fact and smiles shyly. Finally able to say it back, this time is not going to be like when he was not able to respond. His forehead falls onto hers. "I thought so. I love you too." For the first time in a year, Sakurano Tazusa is truly a very happy girl. Getting to see him again, being able to confess right to him, hearing him say it all back, it's too good to be true. And really it is because when they walk out that door, he will go back to being a ghost inside of her and they will forget that any of this ever happened.

He lifts her face a little with his thumb and forefinger cupping her chin and leans in, not even hesitating to give her the kiss he's been longing to give. It's sweet, shy and very gentle, yet full of enthusiasm. As ever, he is nothing but true to his character.

For a moment before the two leave the building, they stand at the door of the church, looking at one another. Tazusa looks worried, like she never wants to leave the building ever again and her hand tightens on the boy's arm. Pete's hand comes over hers and her eyes dart to meet with his. "Pete, i just realized something…it's gonna be like you leaving all over again."

His expression is unchanged however as his hand comes to rest over hers. "Don't worry," Their eyes meet. "I may forget, but it won't change anything. I am not going anywhere. We will fall in love again." Tazusa doesn't believe she ever seen anyone look more sure of anything in her life. When he looks at her like this, there's no way she can doubt him.

"You're right. Anyway, for whatever tomatoes I make you eat this time, I'm sorry in advance…" Pushing the doors of the meeting hall wide open, both step into the gleaming sunlight, laughing.

**I hope that you all liked the prologue! I know that it's not that much different, but I noticed some small things that have been bothing me for the last couple of days and so I wanted to correct them! I hope this updating makes it easier to read and more enjoyable! :D -StoryCurrentlyUntitled-**


	2. Meeting Pete

**Here's chapter one everybody! Please enjoy! If you want to read chapter two then please leave me three good reviews! I'll make a deal with you guys, three reviews and the next chapter is all yours! The prologue was in the third person to tell the story but each of the main chapters, as before, alternates between Tazusa's point of view and Pete's point of viw. Just saying that now so that I don't confuse anyone. Please enjoy the story!**

Divine Intervention

Chapter One

My eyes open slowly, my vision blurred until I blink a few times. Exhausted, I sit up and look around. I'm suddenly back inside of my room, in my bed and just waking up for the day. I bet right now it's about seven or a little before and turn to my clock to confirm my suspicions. Actually, it is just now a quarter until seven.

I push my comforter back out of my way and get out of bed, walking warily over to my closet to get changed for the day. Just as I begin to pull my shirt off there comes a knock on my door. Quickly I make sure I am covered back up before turning around.

"Hai?" I call, wondering who is there.

"Tazu-nee, it's me. Can I come in?" Yoko calls from just outside my door.

"Yeah?" I call back to Yoko, my younger sister.

"Tazusa, hurry, breakfast is ready." I nod at her, having all ready smelled it cooking down stairs and she closes the door again, leaving.

Since the schools are on break and the season is off right at the moment, I feel like I have absolutely nothing to do. I sit in my room, glancing through an old figure skating magazine, hoping to catch something that might be useful to me in a future program. _Figure skating huh? _I hear this voice inside my head for some reason and sit up, obviously concerned.

I look around, just to see if maybe someone had come into my room without my noticing, but, save for me, the place is empty. _Maybe I just need some air or something…_ I stand, nodding to myself. _I'm just cracking up because I've been sitting here with nothing to do for so long._ I pull the window up, letting the fresh late morning air hit my face and take a deep breath.

I can't help a smile at the way it feels to have the summer air against my skin again after all winter long. Maybe today is a good day to out and try to do something. But I have no idea what to do. "Well, what should I do?" I ask myself, racking my own brain for ideas.

_Don't know what to do, do you? _There's that annoying voice again!

I whirl around toward the door, pointing my finger out accusingly. "Who the hell are you?"

But, like before, there is no one there. Straightening up, I take another glance around. What the hell is this? Is it ESP? Am I just going completely insane? "What the hell is this?" With those words, a figure begins to materialize out of thin air, standing off to my left slightly, smiling down at me. He places his hands on his waist, looking informative.

"Miss Tazusa," He steps closer and, my eyes bugging out exaggeratedly, I carefully move away. Might I add, I really do look quite terrified. Some freaking stranger just materilized in my bedroom, right in front of me.

"What…what the hell is this? Some kind of joke!" I shout it as loud as I can. Maybe if I am loud I will scare him.

His face looks rather disappointed now, like he has somehow been hurt by a dear friend, rather than yelled at by at stranger. "That's cold! Come on, I'm not a bad person! Try to be nice to me!" His voice is so whiny and irritating. I almost can't stand it. Why in the hell is he here anyway? Who is he?

"I don't want to be nice to you! You're a goddamn stranger!" His grin only broadens, if at all possible and he, motions for me to sit back down on the bed. Naturally, my response is to cross my arms, looking adamant. "How stupid do you think I am?" He holds up a finger as if trying to silence me and I stiffen for a moment, extremely upset.

But, at that exact second, a flash, like a snapshot in my mind appears, stunning me to a comatose state. I close my eyes.

_I am lying in bed at the 2006 winter Olympics in Torino, Canada. A familiar pair of blue eyes stare at down at me, set in a face obscured by the darkness. The person's mysterious mouth begins to move and in the vision I am soothed somehow, listening to this voice even though I can't envision what was said._

My violet eyes open, my mouth falling agape as I look into the strange boy's blue eyes with a blank expression on my own face. "Ano…" I try, but no more words pass. It doesn't seem possible to speak while I am still in the process of trying to work through the image in my mind. _That…that was a dream… right? Only a dream could be that surreal and calming. Only a dream, right? But…it seemed…_

His voice startles me again only this time coming from where he stands, across from her in her bedroom and thankfully not in my head. "Pete Pumps is my name, I'm sixteen years old and I'm a Canadian! It's nice to meet you!" He holds out his hand as if he wanted to shake hands with me or something and I only watch him, awed. It is just after the morning hours and this boy all ready has this much energy? How could he be so enthusiastic about everything like this? I breifly think how I could be the richest girl alive if I could somehow trap that kind of energy and sell it to people. Trying to keep the smirk off my face at my own thoughts, I cross my arms, turning away from him slightly.

"Oh come on, what's with that energy that seems to just not end? Give it a rest!" I turn back around to face him, this time pissed that he's still in my room. But, before I have the chance to get out anymore, he begins to talk to me again.

"You know, we're not strangers anymore. I all ready know that you're Tazusa, a Japanese girl who's the same age as me and likes Ice Figure Skating. Now will you let me explain this to you?" I am infuriated at this point, my face heating up with my rage and he begins to back toward my door.

I whirl toward the door, pointing my finger out at it, just in time for it to open just start screaming at the top of my voice. "You're stupid! Just get the hell away from me! Get out of my room, out of my sight and out of my personal space!" But I quickly come to regret saying those words as I see the shocked faces of Mika, Yoko and Coach staring back at me. I shrink back some instantly, not only surprised but also somewhat ashamed. They'd all been telling me I've been stressed lately, now they must think I'm completely off my rocker. That's just great. I can picture it now: Takashima Coach and Yoko commiting me to a mental institution and then me sitting in a padded room, rocking back and forth while the most annoying person in the whole world drones on and on inside my head. Come to think of it, that does sound pretty mental. If I were Takashima or my little sister, I would commit me to a mental institution right now, no questions asked. In that special van, into one of those tight, white coats and into a small, four by five foot padded cell. Yup, sounds about right to me.

I feel my jaw is about to unhinge at the bottom and fall off onto the floor. How could I be stupid enough to start yelling these things out loud? I lower my head when I realize they are all looking at me like this in part because they have just heard me up here talking to myself in addition to the fact that I had basically just told them to piss off. I hold up my hands, trying to make some sort of amends for causing them trouble and for just practically calling them all stupid.

"I didn't mean you guys!" I laugh nervously. It's very hard to think of what to tell someone when you haven't really meant to insult them. I wouldn't know anything about that since I spend mostly every day making what other people consider horrifying comments to the reporters and then having to later find some way to make amends, even though I'd rather not. "Um, I was just role playing…um, visual training for a new program I was thinking of trying out but then I realized how dumb it sounded and I got mad…so…basically…" They are all still giving me those slightly exasperated looking stares in the midst of an awkward silence up until Coach gathers himself enough to at least speak again.

"Well, I'm sorry to have bothered you but today we've gotta go to the rink so you can get some practice in for when the season starts up again. You promised." Holding up a hand, I make a determined fist.

"All right, I'll be ready in ten minutes!"

Waving them all off, I push the door closed and lock it. I lean against the wooden door and sigh deeply. I guess now that something like this has happened there's only one way to deal with the situation before me. "Okay, Pete. I'll give you a chance to explain yourself to me. What are you doing in my room?" He appears beside me again, crossing his arms.

"Well, not just inside your room. Actually, I'm going to be here for a while," He still looks way too happy for the information he's giving me.

My eyes widen as I turn to him. "What?" I can't believe what I am hearing as he continues to explain his situation to me. It's not something that really just happens every day you know. He's supposedly a ghost now because he had died recently and now he's going to be stuck inside of me for one hundred days until he can go to Heaven! "Are you serious?"

Pete nods at me again. "Yup, that's how it is!" He is yet again so enthusiastic that it is starting to be an annoyance.

"What the hell are you so happy about!? This is awful! Now I'm stuck to a dead guy? You can't be serious!" I throw my head back exaggeratedly. _Why does it have to be me?_ My eyes meet with Pete's, who is watching me, upset.

"Hey," His voice comes again and I look at him, glaring daggers. He steps back, intimidated as he surely should be. "Look, there's no reason to be this mad at me, It's not something that I can help." I take a deep breath, attempting to calm myself down.

"Okay, well, I'll deal with you later. I've gotta get my stuff together and get to practice." It's all I can do for now. I am late as it is.

I glide across the ice, the wind hitting my face, my hair flying away back behind me, and I smile contentedly. I throw my arms out to the sides, throwing my head and torso back and spin around once before straightening up and gliding off toward my biggest success, Lutz.

It is all going well until…"Yahoo!" The boy I am stuck to shouts and I loose my concentration, falling flat on my ass on the ice. "Ouch!" I look over, seeing the ghost boy making a face and I only become angrier than when he had caused the fall initially.

So he's going to cry when he's the one that caused the fall to being with? He's such an idiot. "Whose fault is it exactly? Will you stay quiet? I'm trying to practice!"

Before anyone has a chance to object I stand again and am off, performing the second Lutz without injuring myself. A few triple combinations, one big "s" shape on the ice and a few more Lutz' later, I am back in the changing rooms, getting back into my running clothes.

Carefully I take off my practice outfit, leaving me in only my underwear and bra. _Nee…Tazusa…_ His voice is timid this time while I stand in front of my mirror, looking at my reflection.

"What do you want?" I snap back at the annoying boy and I hear him swallow rather harshly.

_Well… its kinda embarrassing to say but…could you maybe put some clothes on all ready?_

I feel my heart skip a couple of beats, my eyes are as wide as a car's headlights and I quickly jump away from the mirror, hoping that might help the problem. "Perv, you're watching me!"

_No!_ He sounds whiny, like a child arguing with his mother. _I am not! I can see what you see, just like I got hurt when you fell! _I stand when he says this, making sure to look anywhere but at myself.

"So you're saying that everything I do or see, you will also know of it?" The question comes out cautiously, almost like I don't want to know the answer.

"Well, yeah…" He says two of the many different words that I did not want to hear right now.

I lift a hand as he appears again in the room beside me and slap myself in the face hard enough to draw forth tears. "Ouch! Okay, okay I'm going to let you change! Just, use a blindfold or something!" The pervert ghost whines again. Glowering, I nod and grab up my clothes from my gym bag.

Later I take a walk with Pete, or if you asked anyone else, I am completely alone. I stop at the riverside, leaning on the railing and Pete looks up to watch a plane come in. The wind catches my hair again and I smile and now he's looking over at me. "You come here a lot?"

I have not and shake my head. "I pass by here all the time, but I've never stopped before."

"Why is it you like this place so much?" He is such a soft-spoken person.

I look over at the ghost boy. "I don't know. It just feels like I've stopped here before." A few moments pass in silence as planes pass by back and forth overhead.

He sighs, raising his voice then to speak. "Well, do you want to go home?"

I stare back out at the water as a plane coming in reflects flying over it. "I feel like I used to come here with someone." I say, turning away from the railing and begin the walk back to my house.

Dinner that night is a hot tomato soup and sandwiches, which goes horribly wrong from the first bite of the soup. I lift the spoon to my lips, gently blowing on the liquid. I hear someone swallow, but it's not Coach and it's not Yoko. _Wait for it…wait for it…he just wont shut up! _My mind retorts. _Umm…_Comes his voice again and I grin knowingly to myself.

"What is it now?" I mumble to myself and both my coach and Yoko are looking at me.

_Tazusa, could you maybe…steer clear of this food?_ I look down at the bowl, confused and then stare back in the direction of the living room.

"What are you talking about? You mean tomato soup…" But suddenly, I feel as if I should all ready know this. Like there's some way I should have understood that this ghost now residing in my body does not like tomatoes.

I grit my teeth, an malicious smile spreading from ear to ear and now coach and Yoko have decided they are too scared to eat with me and leave the room, going to the small back yard. "You don't like tomatoes, do you?" He appears beside me, looking anxious when he sees my expression.

"I…" He's hesitant, almost like what he says is going to determine how I react to him.

My eyes narrow calculatingly, trying to decipher his unborn words. This could be a good defense if he's going to say what I think he is. "I just don't care for tomatoes." He crosses his arms, looking a little displeased with me for making him come out and say it directly like that. Just for being suspicious of me, I narrow my eyes and lift the bowl up from the table. His eyes widen, feeling it in my hands as I stand, holding the bowl in one hand now and leaning on the table with the other.

Carefully, I walk over to the sink with the full bowl and grin back at the ghost boy. His eyes widen, his arms falling to his sides. "Are you really going to dump it out? Just like that?" A little surprised that he'd think I'd let him off that easily, my brow furrows in curiosity.

"Are you kidding?" Now looking confusedly at me, the boy's head tilts to the side a bit. "This is just so I don't spill it all over the table!"

With that I lift the surprisingly still steaming bowl of tomato soup to my lips and begin drinking it down eagerly. "Stop!" He shouts, looking about ready to die all over again. _Ha, looks like I found his weakness!_ But what's more astonishing than any of the rest of this whole mess is that I never knew I would burn my own tongue on steaming hot soup in order to hurt someone else.

"Come on please, I beg you! Stop!" I laugh to myself half-heartedly, delighted in the fact that I had managed to cause him pain, however I know this current pleasure will only last until my own tongue burns and I don't want to eat anything hot. I finish off the bowl and place it in the sink, rinsing it out before looking over the ghost, who looks about ready to have it out with his stomach. I grin again now, making a mental note about Pete and his distaste for the fruit.

When I go to take a bath that evening, I have to blindfold myself while I am in the tub and I must say that it's rather hard to get used to. Even though I've lived in this house for so long, I can't seem to find anything. It's a weird feeling to share with some other person, especially a guy. That is, the feeling of being without any clothes and in the bathtub, that's what's screwed up. It's called privacy and this is more than just a total invasion of it, this more like just being robbed of any privacy at all. It's like some ripped out my right to have my own feelings and hid it somewhere I could never get it back.

It's a good thing this will all end in a hundred days. He'll go away to stay in heaven and I'll get my private life back. That's the only good news in all of this. In one hundred days, it'll be over, so it's not like it'll last my whole life.

Sighing, I lean back onto the bathroom door after having gone through the equally as hard "getting changed" process. Can you say "extremely awkward?" Every time I'd accidentally brush my hand against my skin he'd freak out. And god forbid when I will eventually have to go to the bathroom. I have to go right now but I figure I can hold it for the next ninety-nine days. No harm, no foul, right? I wouldn't want to share that feeling with this perverted ghost for all the world. This is going to be the longest one hundred days of my life.

He appears beside me out of no where again, stretching back and yawning. "Ah! That felt so good! I'm so relaxed!" It's only serving to piss me off further as he says these things and I can only contain myself for so long before I explode.

"What about that felt good?" I shout, turning to him. He backs away, his eyes widening in terror. "I was anxious the entire time! I didn't relax at all and you freaking out when my hand touched my leg while I was dressing only made it worse! You have no right to be embarrassed, after all, it's my privacy that _you're_ invading!"

He scoffs at this, throwing his arms in the air. "Well can I help it? You should just be more careful when you get dressed!"

At this point I am seething, of which I am sure he is well aware and I turn away, bashing my head off the wall repeatedly. "You stupid Canadian parasite! Annoying perverted ghost!" I say each word in sync with another rap of my poor forehead against the wall as he cries out in pain. Though it hurts me, when I hear him begging me to stop, it only eggs me on further because I am reminded that it is well worth it.

When I know I can't take anymore, I look over at the boy, who looks shaky and I know that I have completed my mission. I smile and with that, collapse onto my bed in pain. "Well, that's what you get for being so mean!"

I turn toward him, looking ready to kill him all over again. "You wanna die? Shut your mouth! I am the ten billion yen beauty Sakurano Tazusa and you are just an annoying, perverted parasite! You have no right to talk back!"

He just scoffs at me again, infuriating me more. "You're obsessed with yourself! That makes you so much better than me I guess. You have to be a self-absorbed skater for people to care about you." He is trying to sound angry, but only comes off as pouty and I laugh. He sounds more like he's sad because I am being mean to him, instead of someone who's actually angry like I am.

"If you are just going to sound pouty about it then don't argue." My voice is almost ice at this point, I'm so furious I'm basically seeing red.

"I don't sound pouty." Now his voice is dry of emotion, but I'm not going to let him get away with that. "Oh no. Don't try that with me. Just now, you really sounded like I'd made you sad, not angry. Don't fake it." He gasps at this and then shrugs. "Well, goodnight."

The following day I am practice free and in the off-season, I really enjoy those kinds of days, so I go and have a good time at the mall with Mika. She has seemed on edge all day, always watching me like I was going to do something to her. I must admit that I have yelled at her a lot for no reason lately, so, as we drink our coffee, I know it's time to make amends.

"Mika, gomen nasai." She looks at me, darty-eyed and I sigh, knowing that this apology is going to take some convincing. "For what?" This is her response, even though it clearly does no good toward her goal of trying to make me believe I'm not making her nervous.

"Mika, I know that I've yelled at you a lot lately, calling you 'stupid' or 'moron' or names like that, but I wasn't talking to you, so I'm sorry for all of the confusion…you see…umm…" But I am drawing a blank, and can't come up with no explanation for why I was so cruel. Just as it's starting to eat at me and I am again becoming irritated, Mika interrupts, putting me at ease.

"Yeah, it's okay. It never really seemed like you were talking to me. You always looked like you were upset by something else." My eyes widen. I am shocked. She had picked up on that vibe too? Well, who wouldn't have? I mean, I have been talking to myself in public a lot, or rather, yelling at myself and then answering back. People had begun to think I was some wack-job and tried to steer clear of me, so, who wouldn't have noticed something weird was going on?

_See, you're not insane!_ Comments Pete, causing me to rebel by stepping down on my own foot and surprisingly earning me a sort-of-an apology from him. _Okay, okay…I'm shutting up…_ But this is not satisfying enough, I stop the nearest waitress and ask for a salad packed full of tomatoes, grinning manically.

I see Pete materialize beside me, tears of regret pouring down over his face and give him a triumphant look. "Why do you have to do this?" I just shrug and smile and when the salad comes, I eat slowly and apparently painfully, as I keep on hearing protesting groans coming from Pete.

Mika and I part after going to the movies and I go sit at the spot beside the river one more time, watching the sky darken and the stars come out overhead.

Pete shows up beside me again. "You really like this spot. This is the second time in two days you have come here."

I shrug. "It's not really that I like it. It's just that I feel safe here. For some reason, I just seem to remember this place."

Pete nods. "Well, you come by here all the time."

But I shake my head at this statement. "No, I feel like before I've actually come here and watched the sky like this."

He shrugs again. "You're strange,"

I growl, turning to him and making fist. "I will find a vendor that has tomato juice and I will drink it. Is that what you want me to do?"

Looking exasperated, he shakes his head and turns to look at me as well. "As if being possessed by a ghost isn't weird. Don't worry, I didn't mean that to insult you."

Upon closer examination, I notice that he is smiling at me in a friendly way and I nod. For some reason, this has put me at ease. "Well, just be more careful of how you speak to this ten billion yen beauty in the future and I won't misunderstand." I make a teasing face at him and feel his smile widen a bit.

"Come on," I get to my feet. "Let's go home. Dinner is in about and hour and a half." He nods, disappearing back inside of my body, or wherever it is he goes when he vanishes. I think it's in my body, we are going to be sharing a body after all.

We make it about half way there before I run into a familiar black SUV, a very kind reporter by the name of Nitta leaning on the hood. He gives me his usual grin and I smile back, walking over to him. "Nitta –san, what are you doing here?"

He shrugs. "I was just out. What are you doing wondering around all by yourself in a place like this? It'll be dark soon, let me give you a ride."

Smiling, I nod and jump into the car with him. "Who's this?" Pete appears beside me and I whisper back. "Nitta-san, he's the reporter that did the piece on me. I'll show you when we get home."

He drops me off at my home and I wave goodbye as the car pulls away from the curve. I head straight up to my room once I am inside, pulling out my unofficial copy of his story. Pete is now beside me, looking very interested. "Wow, that's good writing. He's very direct and he seems to have all the facts." I nod at Pete.

"Yeah," I still feel like there's something missing, but I can't place anything onto that feeling to make it more stable. I don't understand what it is, but I feel like there has to be something else.

Pete is just looking at me, smiling gently. "How about I help you figure it out?" I turn swiftly, my heart speeding up for a few seconds.

"What?"

He shrugs, carefree. "Well, we are stuck together. I can't go anywhere. As long as I am here, I could help you find what it is you're looking for because you are always looking around with such a wistful, questioning look and it has got me curious. What do you say? Let me help you?" His eyes are two blue pools of joy, like standing beach-side, starting out into tropical waters. His smile is a ray of luminance, lighting up the monent. Just this one moment, Pete is able to make me feel...comfotable, almost as if by being with him I am taken care of. I like the feeling, I almost crave it. It is such a familiar feeling to me, almost aggravationg because I know I should know what's happening here.

Not many people still talk like this, with such a genuinely caring tone to their words. It's like he really cares about me for some reason. Though normally I'd find this type of forward behavior very offensive and rude, I do not take offense. Actually, I am kind of pleased that he would want to help me. But I can't let him know that, so I simply smile my usual smile and shrug. "Do as you like."

He moves closer, our eyes level. "It's decided then," I can't help the blush that blossoms on my face, hearing his decidely smug laugh. "I'll help you find what you're looking for."

I can't take anymore the closer he gets. I finally back away, tunring toward my dresser. He moves up beside me. "Aw, am I embarrassing you?"

My face goes as red as a beat and I jump away from the spot I've been standing in. My heart begins to drum in my chest. Though I know that this is normal, that he is a man and I am a woman, I still don't understand why he's able to suddenly make me feel this way. We haven't known each other all that long anyway. I've never met him until just today and he can make me feel like this? How?

**Ta-da! Chapter one of my lovely story! She gets to meet Pete all over again. For those who haven't read yet, please feel free. I do apologize to all my readers again for taking this down without much notice. I had to correct some things. Remember, three good reviews for the next chapter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**


	3. Pete's Competition

**Sorry to all my readers that I haven't uploaded any new stuff in a very long time and I hope that I will be able to put up the rest of the revised chapters very soon. Until then, please enjoy the newly revised chapter two. I love all my readers and as you all know, I really love the ones who love to tell me what's on their mind. I ****don't want any flames here but constructive criticism and anything you have nice to say or if you'd like to make suggestions about things you'd like to see me write, well feel more than welcome to do so! Please enjoy!**

Devine Intervention

Chapter Two

Tazusa opens her eyes the following morning to hear tons of honking horns and shouting. The uproar has all ready woken coach and her little sister, who have since gone out with his new wife, Hitomi as she sees upon taking me through a further inspection of her home.

It's now been a week since I possessed Sakurano Tazusa and I have to say that there really is something very familiar about this whole thing. Being in her house for starters, I seem to know instinctively where to find stuff or what room in the house is where and how to get there, even if I do only go everywhere with Tazusa because I have to. But, more than that, the people Tazusa knows seem like people I've known before. I know I definitely didn't know those people in my preceeding life. It's really just strange.

The thing that I really can't stand out of all of it is that Tazusa herself is so familiar to me. Everything about her, and I mean all of it. From her snappy attitude and sharp tongue to her million-dollar personality to her go-getter, killer, academy award winning smile. I know this girl somehow it seems, but I also know that I've never met her before now. I'm sure of it, or, almost sure.

I know that I'm all ready interested in this girl, I mean, who wouldn't be, being attached to the said person for twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week. We wake up together, we do chores together, we eat together (much to my dismay when she decides to torture me and eat tomatoes) but the bottom line is: we do everything together. If it were anyone else in my situation, I'm sure that they'd develop a sense of belonging just as I have. All though I'm not so sure it'd be as quick as how quickly my feelings have developed.

In the past five days I all ready enjoy spending some of my time with her actually _with her_, wanting to watch her, understand her and get to know her. I like following her around and seeing what kind of life she leads.

The things that kind of bother me though are that she calls me a pervert all the time or other such unsightly names. I am not like that at all. Like it's my fault that I can't get into heaven for another one hundred days! I mean really, she's been literally banging her head off of walls just so she can cause me pain. It's not my fault that she has a few issues with this set up.

To be honest, I don't like it when she yells at me for something that's her fault. Like when she forgets to put her blindfold on before changing and I see her. That's not my fault! She should have remembered to wear the blindfold and she should all ready know that whatever she sees, I'm going to see as well.

And probably the worst out of anything she does to me is when she eats tomatoes. She knows that I don't like them. She all ready figured that much out. Why can't she leave me alone? I can't help it if I say something she doesn't want to hear. People sure get mad when you hit the bull's eye, don't they? It really bothers her when she knows that I'm right about something being her fault and she still blames everything on me anyhow.

As soon as I can leave her, I can't wait to go!

I look at the girl, walking quietly through her room, about to get changed. She forgot her blindfold, again. "Tazusa, before you take anything off…" I tell her and she nods, giving me that smile that warms me up inside. I grin back, unable to control that natural response. _What am I thinking? Did I really just think that I can't wait to get away from Tazusa? I'm the one who told her I'd help her find what she is looking for. I sat here and said that to her last night. All of it. How could I be so cruel?_

Everything goes black when she puts the blindfold on and I can feel her clothes coming off of her. It's a good thing that I only feel what she feels and it doesn't go vice-versa. Because if it did then she would be able to feel my heart pounding out of control and I wouldn't want her to know about that yet. I'm sure that she'd absolutely just hate me if she knew. Or rather, she'd hate me more than she seems to right at the moment.

I've never told her and I'm never going to tell her that I can feel such intimate details about her life, though I'm sure Tazusa herself can tell all ready, even with out knowing how I feel inside as I do her.

It is, at this moment when I realize how much of an effect this is having on her, being attached to a guy all the time. I mean, sharing personal and private feelings with someone you hardly know, such as going to the bathroom, taking a shower or even just like right now, taking off your clothes. It's gotta be a nightmare.

I'm not so sure if I'd actually be able to put up with something like this, so she's go guts. I can give her that too, she's got a lot of will power and anyone who can so much as put up with a ghost of the opposite gender residing inside of their body, being a free loader and making requests as to what they can and cannot eat, say or do, is an amazing person.

It's taking so long for the clothes to go back on. My heart is drumming loudly. If I wasn't all ready dead, I'd burst apart and die. It's not that I have feelings specifically for Tazusa, I mean, I am interested in her because of the fact that we are now forced to spend all of our time together but this would have the same effect on any guy in my situation.

I swallow harshly. _What is it? _Tazusa calls to me, taking off the blindfold to reveal that she is wearing this adorable maid outfit. It's pink and white with a big bow tied in the back, where it's cut low. Two white ribbons in her hair complete the look, making her just about the cutest girl I think I've ever seen.

I shift into a form of my own, leaning over her shoulder. "Oh! You're just the cutest of all!" But suddenly, something clicks in my mind and I realize that I have seen this same maid outfit before. My mouth falls open. "Where did you get this outfit?"

She looks at me, her expression questioning as well. "I have no idea where the idea came from but I had it made to skate in during two different competitions. One of them was here in Japan and the other was at the Olympic opening. I like the way it looks so sometimes I just put it on to look at it."

I nod at the reply. I don't know why this all seems so familiar.

She picks up her skating gear and bag and heads out of the house after actually changing into work out gear. But, the trip is cut short when we are literally attacked by the media on the front steps.

"Skater Sakurano, are the allegations that you and Nitta-san, the reporter have started some kind of relationship? Like the one that had allegedly started before?" One reporter asks, nearly shoving his microphone down her throat waiting for her to answer.

"No, those allegations are completely false. I ran into him while walking home from lunch with a friend of mine and it was getting dark. Because he's a decent human being, he gave me a ride home. Now, if you would all be decent human beings and get out of my way, I'm late for practice."

But those people follow her the whole way to the rink, not only getting on her nerves, but getting on mine too. If I had a body I would punch the one guy who keeps asking her the same question over and over again, though he rephrases it each time. Why are they so pushy and arrogant? Are they trying to get her to snap? Do they want her to loose her temper or something like that?

I don't want her to be upset by this. _Ignore them. Who cares what they print, we'll just fix it, right?_

She nods. "Yeah," Once we are inside the building all safe and sound, she replies. "It's just a stupid rumor that came about back before I went to the 2006 Olympics because he was so nice to me then too. But I don't care what the media does, they're all idiots." She's steamed again and I can tell by the way she is gritting her teeth.

"Yahoo!" I call out as she jumps into the air and then lands safely on the ice, all ready used to my shouting during her practice. I guess she does need to concentrate, but I don't care, this is just too much fun and I have to make it known when I am having fun. "You get to do this sort of thing all the time!" I inform her and she nods.

"Yes," I know that tone and I can tell all ready what is coming next. "That is what figure skaters do. We figure skate during the season and in the off-season we practice. Isn't that what anyone with a job such as this does?"

Sighing, I nod my head at the girl, a little annoyed by her blunt and irritated sounding reply.

Her stomach gives a gurgle in the middle of a jump and she falls onto the ice with a yelp. I know that she needs to go to the bathroom, she should just do so all ready.

"You know, you really should just go to the bathroom. It' not good for you to wait so long to go." It's more than likely the wrong thing to say, but I'm getting used to that by now.

She gasps now, standing up and skating hurriedly over to where some of her things sit in a small bag on the sidelines. "You stupid hentai ghost! Don't say things like that!" I feel like I could die all over again as I see what she pulls out of her bag. A freaking can of tomato juice. She's going to start carrying it with her everywhere now? Oh dear god, help me!

I could about pass out as she drinks it, leaving the horrible taste of that awful fruit in my mouth. Wait, is it a fruit or a vegetable? Oh, who the hell cares what it is! It's disgusting none-the-less and she does it just to torture me when I do something that she doesn't approve of. I sigh, feeling a little faint and lean my head forward, tiredly. I feel Tazusa shrug and look back up.

"I can't believe you're such a baby about it and anyway, it's really good. Are you stupid?"

I shake my head. "How is it being stupid if I just don't like something?"

"Hello," Says a new voice. We look up to see another woman with long auburn hair coming onto the ice toward Tazusa. I feel Tazusa's body tensen up a bit and look down at the girl.

"Is she someone you dislike?" I look between the two of them.

"No," The dark-haired figure skater replies. "She used to be my rival for the Japan representative spot at the Olympics, but she got out of competitive skating early in the spring. She must have wanted to do other things."

"Were you talking to me?" The woman asks and Tazusa shakes her head.

"No, I'm just thinking out loud. Sorry, I seem to be distracted lately and it's rather annoying." I know she's saying this to make it known to me that I was making her look dumb in public again. I shrug and disappear back inside of her, listening as she speaks to the older lady.

"I'm glad to see you here even if you are distracted, it just means you're very dedicated to what you're doing." She lowers her head as Kyoko speaks.

"Or it just means I like falling on my face a lot, Shitou-san." Shitou giggles a bit and then waves as she glides off on the ice to have some fun.

I can recall once before being on the ice like this, Tazusa's long dark hair waving in the wind moving by her. She's doing an incredible performance in that same cute maid's costume. My mouth falls open as she does many a trick on the ice, holding her hands up as if she's carrying platters of people's food. Coming back to reality where Tazusa is just now skating in to get off the ice, I shift into my ghost form.

"Tazusa," She looks back at me, her expression slightly curious as well as the ever-apparent annoyed look. "Do you have videos from the Olympic opens?" She tilts her head a little to one side, looking as confused and annoyed as I've ever seen her.

I must admit that it's very cute and suits her well because that's her personality, however I know this is not the time for me to be thinking like that. "What?" She questions and I smile at her.

We sit down on her bed in her room again, watching the footage from the open. She is skating in the maid outfit! That same little pink and white one with the ruffles and puffed sleeves that I know so well. I wonder how she could have gotten every last detail right about something that had been a part of my life, not hers.

Now as I watch the footage more carefully, no one else would notice but I see her mouth moving, almost as if she is talking to herself. But no, she's not talking to herself, she's gotta be talking to someone. "Who are you talking to there?"

She shrugs. "I don't look like I'm talking to anyone."

I turn to her, pointing at the screen. "Your mouth is moving right there!"

She shakes her head, becoming more and more agitated. "No it's not. I'm not saying anything. I'm just skating and doing a great job, as expected of this ten billion yen beauty."

She slides around the shot, right in front of the camera as I turn around and watch the screen carefully. But there is nothing else and after that point, her mouth is no longer moving and she just continues to skate to the equally as familiar tune of jazz.

I want to confront her on this matter as well, but refrain from doing so only because I know this will only cause another argument. And I must admit that even I am not up for another argument with Tazusa right now. I don't feel like being forced to eat tomatoes until my taste buds are raw.

Besides, she looks so intent on watching this video now that I don't have the heart to interrupt her. Truth be told, I can't help enjoying watching her as she looks at the screen and points out little things to herself that she liked or that she maybe could have done better. God if it's not just the most adorable trait I've ever witnessed.

She'll continually nod to herself or pout at the screen. I smile gently, feeling my heart begin to pound again. How can I suddenly like her this much? I barely know her. She barely knows me, much less likes me. Even if we had known each other longer than this, I doubt she'd be nice to me. So, even if I had a shot one way to be with her, I'd still be shot down another. But I'm all ready dead as it is, so none of those fantasies could become real. It's probably best to just stop thinking this way.

However, liking her isn't something that I can help. I am interested in this girl as a companion and as a skater. I am interested in her life and I want to know what she is doing and I want to be involved. But, I feel like there are feelings inside of me that have been there since before I met her. Almost like I knew her before and…dare I think it? Liked her then too.

That's insane though right? I couldn't have known her before now, could I? Our lives have been completely separate, nothing that would bind them together at all. But we do seem to have adapted to each other rather quickly, other than her utter refusal as of yet to go and use the bathroom…

"Hey, what are you staring at you perv?"

I feel as if I am caught in the center of five trains crashing into one another when she speaks again. I realize that my staring at her for all of this time will probably have caused a bad reaction by now and I grit my teeth, preparing for the worst.

"I wasn't really staring, I was just kind of…watching…because you seemed like you were enjoying yourself."

At this, I feel her heart rate pick up a little, though on the outside her composure has not changed a bit. She doesn't blush, nor does she look in the least way upset or embarrassed. She only nods at me, turning back toward the T.V. I smile again, allowing my arms to fall to my sides.

"I just enjoy this memory. I can't wait to go back. I'll make it again you know!" I nod at her, somehow there is no doubt in my mind as to whether she is or is not capable of such a thing.

"Of course you will." She smiles up at me and again, I feel like there's something there. There are so many responses that run through my head in this instant, but the only thing I can manage is a return smile. Because all of the said responses would include touching her in some way, it's useless because she won't feel anything.

The following Monday we are out again, just getting some ice cream after coming back from the ice skating rink with the coach and Yoko. She turns to Takashima and smiles. "Thanks for the ice cream." He grins back at her and nods.

"I was getting worried about you for a while there. It seemed like the stress in your life was getting to you, with the way you would always snap randomly. I still can't figure out what your tomato binge was all about either." At his words both Tazusa and I are surprised. That scenario just seems to be consistent with what is happening right now.

She smiles nervously up at coach, as dry of any type of explanation as I am. But I don't care right now when her ice cream is melting all over our hands. "Tazusa! You're making a mess! Eat it all ready! Come on!" I quip, causing her to turn to where I sit in the car and bare her teeth angrily.

"Shut up!"

Both Takashima and Yoko cringe and slide away from her slightly, looking horrified. "Here we go again…" Yoko whines, causing Tazusa to look between the two of them, stunned.

"Oh…." She tries to explain herself. "I didn't mean you guys…um…" They are both just staring at her until coach lets out a sigh.

"Pull the car over," He tells the driver, who then finds a curb and pulls along side it. He turns to Tazusa. "You think it will do you some good to get a little air?" Tazusa is a little confused by this question and really doesn't want to leave without explaining herself but in the end she gets out of the car anyhow.

I stand beside her. "Why did you get out of the car?"

She turns up her nose, annoyed. "Because I was making them feel bad. All you do is cause me trouble! I can't wait until you leave!"

This hurts me, but instead of showing it I just pretend to be angry with her and cross my arms. "If I could leave, then I'd do so. But you're stuck with me so at least try to be nice."

I can feel her becoming more and more upset and I know that I have said the wrong thing, again. Oh no, here we go. "You're so stupid! Just shut up you annoying Canadian pervert!" All of the people that were walking by are now stopped in their tracks and staring at her, horrified. Tazusa lowers her head and tries to apologize and then continues walking by them, trying to look unfazed by all the weird looks.

"You see? You make me look so dumb!" She whispers.

I can't help it if she decides to yell at me in public. She's the one making herself look like a loon. "It's not my fault that you can't control your temper!"

Just as she is becoming angry with me again, I feel a hand come down upon her shoulder and her heart rate go up. I can tell what Tazusa is thinking this is, because I am thinking the same. It's probably some jackass who just wants to mess with her. "Hey," A smooth masculine voice says behind her and I feel a few of the muscles in her back tensen as she braces her one leg, turning back with the other and kneeing him in the stomach.

The boy topples over on the ground, clutching his sore stomach and breathing as best as he can for the amount of pain he's probably in. Well, serves him right, harassing my Tazusa. Wait, since when is she _mine_? I don't remember laying claim to Tazusa. Oh well, that doesn't change the fact that he should have kept his hands to himself.

"Try to pick your next victim a little more carefully before you touch someone. The next girl might actually karate chop you in the neck! You're lucky I didn't try." Tazusa says triumphantly, walking in and taking a seat at the local lounge.

She orders some coffee and when the waiter comes around to us, she takes it with a "thanks" placing it on the little round table in front of her. We sit for a while, taking long drinks of the coffee until it is almost gone and then she just leaves it sit. I can tell she's deep in thought, probably troubled over what had happened with her, her sister and her coach. I know that she's tired of making them upset and looking dumb.

I know it's not all my fault but I still feel bad. I couldn't even begin to tell you the reason why I feel bad like this, but I do none-the-less and I want to comfort her. Just as I am about to open my mouth to try and say something, this guy walks up out of nowhere. She looks up at him, unimpressed.

"Hey," He is a boy around seventeen with jet-black hair and brown eyes, definitely a native of Japan and not a foreigner like me. "I noticed that your coffee was getting low," He sets the glass down on the table. "So I figured you might want some more, you looked a little tired." His voice is somewhat high for a guy's though I can tell he's lowering on purpose to try and sound cool.

Tazusa is having none of this nonsense either, but attempts being polite to him. "Thank you." Here comes my favorite part, I can see it in his face as he is about to speak. "And I couldn't help but notice ... you look somewhat lonely." She's upset, I can feel it, but she decides to play along with him for a little bit, just to see how things go.

"What's your name?" She leans forward a bit, smiling at him.

"They call me Suke."

She tilts her head a little, smiling at him in an annoyed and playful manner. "How unfortunate."

He forces himself to laugh where she provides the pause. "That was funny…" But Tazusa's all ready had enough of this and her true personality begins to show through a little.

"Listen, _Suke_, I can't possibly conceive how horribly _lonely_ you must be coming over here and making a fool of yourself…" He interrupts her here, trying desperately not to get shot down. But I am having fun listening to Tazusa who is about to destroy this guy. I smile and look from Tazusa back to the guy, smiling triumphantly.

"You are gorgeous…" He drones and I roll my eyes. She laughs, annoyed and nods her head a bit to keep from laying him out like that last guy. "Thanks but how about listening to what I'm saying? I'm not interested. Thank you however, for complimenting me by making yourself look pathetic." She smiles her best apologetic smile, or at least the best one she can manage to send in his direction.

However, this does nothing to faze him. He makes yet another futile attempt. "You're welcome…so do you like Howlan?"

Tazusa has to hold her self back at this point and fakes a laugh. "Suke, that wasn't me saying 'try harder stupid'. I'd actually really be grateful if you left." He tilts his head at Tazusa, looking hurt but still trying just as hard as before. I have to give him something here for being persistent.

"You don't have to be this cold you know …"

But now comes a second guy's voice and I throw my head back, now just utterly annoyed. As if one asshole wasn't bad enough, now there are two of them. _He brought backup, oh no_. Is all I find myself thinking for a moment until he speaks as well. "Hey babe, how was practice?"

Her mouth falls open, but she plays along with this guy as well. "Fantastic _honey_. Goodbye, Suke."

He stands now as the other boy pats his shoulder, turning around and looking at him anxiously. "Nice to meet you," Suke says before slowly turning around and walking away, leaving me with Tazusa and this other guy, who is just pissing me off more and more by the second. Suke was amusing because he had no chance anyway, but this guy...just looking at him and knowing that Tazusa's all ready interested has my blood boiling.

"It's really difficult to believe that no one else has noticed the 'piss off' that you have stamped across your forehead. To me, there's never been a sign more clear." Tazusa is laughing at what this random guy just said! If I had a body of my own, I'd rip him limb from limb. For some reason, I all ready can't stand him being anywhere near Tazusa.

"Then what are you still doing here?" Tazusa quips and the guy simply shrugs back at her, a goofy little grin working it's way across his features.

She turns and looks at him as he speaks. "Well I will say that I have no intentions of ending up like the last guy who you proceeded to crush like an aluminum can, I guess I just must be a gluten for punishment."

Nodding in agreement, Tazusa responds to him trying hard to keep from laughing at him. "Well, I'll give you props. You're the first guy I've met that's made it as far as saying that. Good for you." I thought it was just playing along at first, but then she asks another question, telling me that she's curious enough to talk to him without being dismissive. This is way more than I got from her when we first met.

"So tell me, what makes this gluten for punishment any different than any other man or boy I know?"

He leans forward casually, answering her question without his confidence wavering one bit. "Don't know that he is different…but he does seem to actually affect you. Which is different, as you are well aware of, than the guy who left just a moment ago. No doubt he is crying in a corner somewhere, traumatized for life," He leans in. "Maybe even longer."

Now nodding along with his words, Tazusa laughs at this boy's words again, which really pisses me off. I growl under my breath.

"Well, if what you say is true then I guess I have something to be proud of. Destroying a man's confidence…all in a day's work…" He chuckles at this and she grins when his face becomes slightly flushed.

"It seems to be."

I can feel Tazusa slowly warming up to him, little by little becoming curious about him and about what he has to say and I want to protest, I want to tell her to leave, but not before I see which way this conversation is headed.

"You seem to become very intimidating when you need to be but I don't think that's how you always are." He waits here for her to ask the question he knows is coming. I think what's pissing me off the most right now is that they seem to have some kind of connection.

"Oh you don't? So tell me, what makes you think you have the knowledge to make such an assumption?" Tazusa leans in a bit, placing her chin on the back of her laced fingers.

He nods at this in concurrence. "Well, I don't really know much about you…but your responses to me aren't nearly as vicious as the ones you were aiming at that poor unfortunate soul before me."

She nods her head again, deciding that it's okay to answer this, as long as she gets her piece in as well. "I'm Sakurano Tazusa, and I'm surprised that you didn't all ready know that since I snagged fourth place at the Torino Olympics in 2006." Here she slaps her hands down on her knees, leaning toward him in the chair, once more looking skeptical.

"So then, now that you know that much does it make you feel like less of a target?" The girl snaps and I could almost laugh, that tightness suddenly loosening again.

He looks confused by that statement. "No way."

Inwardly, Tazusa is about as shocked as I am pissed right now, but it doesn't show so much on her face. "You don't do you?"

He smiles gently as he speaks. "Nope. The difference is that I like being your target," Tazusa nods at this, not only looking like a cynic, but I can feel her hesitation to believe in him.

I can tell she's probably dealt with her fair share of jerks. "It must be sad to know that it doesn't make a difference."

He looks unfazed by this attempt at striking down his confidence. She has been looking at him though all of this as if at any moment he'll start acting like every other guy. "Not for me," She's the one that's thrown for a loop and it actually shows on her face this time as he continues to speak. "I can deal with it. Like I said, being your target is just fine."

"So who is it that I have the pleasure of making a target of?"

"Sasaki Hideaki, novelist and the local jerk who's going to get his neck karate chopped one day." He laughs when Tazusa's face grows a little pale.

"I'm sorry…" She begins. Why does this asshole get an apology? Why's he so special?

"Don't worry about it,"

He stands up now and continues to smile down at her until I just wanna ring his neck. "It's a pleasure to have met you, Sakurano-san,"

She nods in response as he begins to walk away until she seems to have forgotten to say something and calls out. "Hey," He turns back, still smiling softly at her. "Sorry I kneed you in the stomach."

He shrugs at the girl and then simply walks away as a waitress comes to her area, setting a hot cup of coffee down beside her. "This is compliments of the boy who just left." I hear the woman say, but Tazusa is hardly paying attention, still watching as Sasaki walks off, stunned.

Annoyed, I know what I have to ask her, so I simply try to make it sound as if I'm curious. "Don't tell me you're seriously interested in that." Tazusa shrugs, leaning over the chair to catch one last glimpse before he disappears into the masses.

Biting on her lip, Tazusa shrugs again, this time more directed at me instead of just trying to make it seem like she cares to respond and takes a drink of the coffee. "Beats being a loud, perverted dead guy." My mouth about hits the floor. She is attracted to him! Oh come on!

"Well I'm not him! Excuse me!" I disappear back inside of her, pouting.

The following day, Takashima Coach has a date with Hitomi so Yoko, Mika and Tazusa all hang out together at the mall, shopping. So, I of course, am dragged along for it all. Now, I'm not someone who's much into going shopping or spending entire days a the mall when I could be reading a book I like or playing videogames, but getting to see Tazusa in all of those outfits, I can put up with the shopping part just for that.

After this, they have lunch in the mall's indoor courtyard. "So, how was your walk yesterday?" Yoko asks, looking suspicious of Tazusa. "Tazu-nee got out of the car looking all apprehensive," She turns to Mika, who looks back at the younger girl. "And when she came home…she looked really happy." I growl under my breath, if they make her mention that idiot from last night and start a conversation about him, I don't know what will happen to me.

"Well," Tazusa delays, somehow becoming shy since last night. "I met somebody at the lounge yesterday."

Both Mika and Yoko look a bit shocked by this one, leaning in over the table to see if that will allow them to hear her more clearly. "Someone who's worthy of the ten billion yen girl?" Yoko asks, looking interested, while Mika's face lights up. "He must be really fantastic then!"

Tilting her head a little to the side, Tazusa makes a face. "Maybe not fantastic, but he's certainly worlds better than men I've dealt with before," I know she's directing this one at me and I snub it, turning away and hiding myself again. I can't take much more of this annoying conversation.

Suddenly, Tazusa's stomach rumbles and she stands, uncomfortable. Both of the other girls staring she tells them. "I'll be right back!" And with that, head off a dead run to get to the nearest restroom.


	4. Unconventional Dating Methods

Devine Intervention

Chapter Three

Three days later, much to my dismay, I have heard no more from Sasaki Hideaki. It's annoying to me that I actually care so much because if I had stayed true to my character, I would have forgotten all about him all ready and moved on. I don't normally linger on thoughts of people like this that is…unless they really stick out to me. I guess that this boy had been somewhat different than the rest of them, with his charming smile and clever dialogue.

He had been able to make me interested in him, make me think about him and keep me hooked after he had walked away to a point where I had actually stared at him. I had successfully made Pete jealous as well, though he had tried to hide it. It hadn't been my original intention but I have to admit that I like the idea of having one more thing he doesn't like to use against him when I'm mad at him. That makes a total of two things that will hurt Pete and only Pete. Even though that makes me sound like a complete bitch.

I push my window open and take a deep breath, enjoying the warm summertime air. Even though school's been out for a while now and I've been going outside so much more, it's still so nice to sit in the sun and enjoy it like this. I love ice skating but it's a winter sport, forcing me to go out so much when it's cold out. I like summer better in truth, being able to do so much more than indoor activities. Because being lazy just doesn't fit me at all. I want to be able to do so many things.

My door opens suddenly and the coach is standing there, looking at me as if he is expecting a bad reaction.

I raise an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"It's time to go to practice again, Tazusa."

I nod and stand up, getting all my gear together and head to the rink with coach and my little sister.

I can't help letting my thoughts wonder back to that boy from the lounge through the practice and this causes Pete to show up beside me. "You're still thinking about him?"

I smirk. "What's it to you if I am? I can do whatever I want."

He shrugs. "Of course you can, I was just curious." This does not sound as effectively casual as he would have probably liked it too.

I nod in complete disbelief and make my jump. "Right, I'm sure." Landing successful!

He grits his teeth. I knew this was upsetting him, but I hadn't realized how much. Boy, this is great. I like having ways to make him angry instead of the reverse. Always having him around me, stuck to me, changing with him here, bathing with him there, it sucks. Now he can get a taste of his own medicine and what's even better is that I don't think he can handle it.

It does bother me at times however. I have to wonder why it is this bothers him so much. I mean, we just met so it's not like he's been my friend with some sort of secret crush on me for all of our lives. I find it odd that me liking some guy like this, just being remotely interested in some guy that I might never see again is bothering him so much.

I hear him growl. "Hey, focus please!" Just as I collide with the wall around the ice covered rink and fall back onto my butt.

"You couldn't have said something any sooner than that?"

He pouts. "Well I was trying and you ignored me!"

"Well that's because the sound of your voice is so annoying I block it out!" I get up and dart off across the ice. "You're interrupting my practice, so kindly shut up for a while."

Shrugging, Pete disappears back inside of me. _Sure, sure…_

Thankfully, I am able to make it through the entire rest of my practice with no further interruptions from my lesser half. I had forgotten how good it is to skate while you aren't constantly being bugged by a ghost who has taken up residence in your body and I must say that it has really calmed me.

Later, after I am changed and have packed up to leave, someone knocks on my door. "Come in," I call back.

A male delivery boy pokes his head into the room and then walks in. "Sakurano Tazusa?" He questions and I nod. He places a box down on the little stool in front of me and I look in between the box and the boy, who is now holding out a clipboard. "Sign here,"

I rummage through the Styrofoam peanuts in the box until I come across a lone walkie-talkie. _That's odd. Someone paid to deliver this to me?_ I turn it over to the other side, just to make sure there is nothing attached to the other side, just as Coach and Yoko come in to see what all the fuss is about.

A voice startles me. "Funny how you tell someone your name and then they know how to get in touch. This your friendly neighborhood stalker saying hello,"

Right away, I remember the voice as Sasaki's and my mouth falls open in a sort of pleased shock. Pete appears beside me, looking really annoyed and I decide to talk with Sasaki, just for that reason.

"So this your friendly neighborhood stalker saying hello," What thing to say!

Yoko mouths to me, "The guy from the lounge," And I nod, pointing to the little device and shrugging, a sheepish grin on my face.

"I can't think of any more nonchalant way to approach a girl." Yoko makes a face and Coach's face has already turned to stone. I repress a laugh.

The voice on the other end comes again. "So since I'm such a gluten for punishment, I was wondering if maybe you'd like you punish me further. Would you like to go to dinner on Friday?"

I blink, confused and look to Yoko and Coach for help. Coach, of course is no help and is just staring at me, looking frightened. Yoko, however, seems to have some of her wits left about her, so I mouth the word "help."

"You have practice," Yoko mouths, holding her hand beside her mouth as if telling a secret.

I shrug. "I'm sorry, I have a long practice that day."

He laughs on the other end. "Okay then, Saturday?"

I grit my teeth. "Um, sorry…I'm going out with Mika to go shopping that day," I must admit I am lying, really just wanting a free Saturday.

Sasaki still sounds amused on the other end. "I figured someone like you would understand what it means to be persistent."

I laugh to myself conspiritally, thinking how he couldn't have left himself more wide open for an insult. "Yeah it means you have a free pass to be a major thorn in everyone else's…" I am forced to stop before the profanity hits my lips because the stupid ghost interrupts. Was this conversation even one he has been a part of?

Pete laughs loudly in my ear. "Good one, Tazusa!"

I growl under my breath, right before hearing Sasaki speak once more. "It means to have the drive to continue, even if it seems like you're out of luck. In other words, I'm making myself into one fine target for a certain skater."

I laugh to myself. "Okay then Target, what do I have to do to get you to stop talking?" Yoko makes a face as I laugh to myself.

"Well there's always the option of turning off the walkie-talkie, unless of course you are enjoying my banter, in which case the other option is breakfast on Sunday morning," He tells me on the other end. Funny how I hadn't even considered turning off the walkie-talkie until he made fun of me like that.

I look helplessly at Takashima, who is frightened out of his wits that Ms. Mishiro will somehow get wind of this and the media will get to me again. Sighing, I look away from my horrified coach and to my sister, who just shrugs. "Come on," She mouths to me and I finally sigh, giving in.

"Okay," I say it as if it pains me and Pete is thus far, silent. "That could be arranged, I guess."

There is a short pause and then more banter. "You forgot to say 'over,' over." He says and he sounds so serious, though we both know he's joking.

I laugh. "Have I been saying it from the beginning of the conversation? If I recall correctly, you haven't been saying it either Commander so give it a rest." He laughs at me in turn before giving me the time and place.

"Meet me in the Mall, seven o' clock, Sunday," Sasaki tells me, making my nose scrunch up in annoyance.

I gasp. What the hell? Another earlier-riser? I am so sick of all of these people who like to wake up early. Go to bed and sleep in for crying out loud. I always have to end up with morning people. "Are you crazy? Seven o' clock! Who gets up that early just to eat?"

But after my out burst I hear nothing more. He must have turned off the walkie-talkie. I give coach a final glance as he looks about ready to cry and then look at Yoko, who is smiling at me, conspiritally.

I go home, eat in silence, bathe in silence and even go to the bathroom without one word from Pete. I am beginning to wonder if something is wrong with him to make him be so quiet. He usually has so much to say and now that it's quiet like this, it's weird for me. It all seems so familiar, to be so used to hearing his voice, or being with him in general and then he's suddenly not talking.

"Hey Pete, what's the matter? Did you not like the tomato soup that I made for dinner tonight?"

He doesn't answer.

"Oh come on, have a sense of humor!"

There is still no reply.

"How unfortunate, the one time I actually want you to talk, you have nothing to say!"

Now the Canadian appears beside me, his arms crossed. He still looks so pouty and I grin to myself, knowing that I have indeed stumbled onto something he hates more than tomatoes.

"Feed me all the tomatoes you want," He says like an indignant teenager talking to his parents.

I sigh, rolling my eyes and turn away from him to look at my magazine.

"Why are you all upset? It's none of your business who I like."

He lifts his head, his arms falling to his sides. "I…" Boy it must have took some guts for him to even make it that far, but he cuts off all on his own, falling again to silence. It's really sad because I can tell exactly what it was he had wanted to speak with me about, even if he hadn't actually been able to voice his opinion. I really would have liked to hear him say it, but it's his loss. He should have been quicker and more determined like he usually is. Oh, well it's like I said, it's not my problem.

His head lowers and then he looks back up at me, smiling. "It's nothing. Don't worry about it."

Disappearing back inside of me before I can ask him what was wrong he tells me goodnight. _Goodnight, jealous Canadian parasite._ I smile to myself, reading my magazine until I eventually become sleepy and drift off.

The following day is Friday and I am out with Mika today, having nothing else to do until my practice in a few hours. "So, have you heard from 'lounge guy' at all?" She asks, smiling at me.

"Yeah, actually he didn't call me just yesterday." Mika tilts her head at me, looking really confused. "Okay, listen to this. This guy sends me a walkie-talkie via delivery guy and asks me out on a date. He threw me."

"So, then," Mika looks exceedingly enthused to be hearing this from me, which gets me to giggle. "What happened?" Scratching my head, I feel a little sheepish.

_If you hadn't said yes, you wouldn't feel nervous right now…_ Pete points out in an obnoxious way and I stomp down onto my foot in response, making him cry out.

"We're going to breakfast on Sunday morning." I scrunch up my nose again at the thought of it.

"Really?" Mika says softly. I nod at her, confirming her thoughts. "That's great, you've never been out on a date before. I hope everything goes well."

I nod. "Yeah, I do too."

By mid morning it is scorching and the sun is beating down so endlessly that Mika and I decide to go swimming at a private outdoor pool. I slowly get changed into my bathing suit, a lovely little red two-piece, which covers enough of me so that I don't look bad, but I do look appealing at the same time.

Pete swallows harshly.

_Why are you in a swimsuit? _He questions and I roll my eyes.

"Because I am going to go swimming, and you're going to deal with it, one way or another." He sighs as I take off the blindfold and then I hear his breath hitch.

He appears beside me in the changing stall, his mouth hanging open wide enough to catch flies. His eyes are about as wide as a car's head lights and I feel my face begin to heat up, but I know that it can't be me who is blushing. I'm not the one who's embarrassed here. I'm unreachable for him anyhow, why should I be embarrassed?

It's just boosting my ego and I don't mind. I like the feeling of being able to make him blush so much like this. It builds my confidence and isn't that a good thing?

"So," The idea pops into my head and it sounds good enough to get a laugh out of, so, I ask. "What do you think? It suits me very nicely, don't you think?" I all ready know this, but making him struggle with getting a reply together is just icing on the cake as far as I'm concerned.

My face turns even redder as he must have realized what I had said to him and I grin. "Um…it's…it's…"

I place my hands on my hips, making a face at him like a little kid teasing another child. "It's what? Can't you speak?"

He finally turns his head away and puts his hands in his pockets, giving up and retreating back inside of me. I just shrug. "I knew you were a perv from the moment I met you."

Now he argues and I must say it's refreshing to hear him whine again. _Oh come on, just because I didn't have anything to say you're going to assume I'm a pervert? Maybe I just didn't like it!_

I nod and make a face at him. "I'm sure of _that_."

I head out to the pool, diving into the cool water from one of the boards at the deeper end. Mika joins me in the middle. "This is so much better!" She tells me and I nod at her with a smile.

"Yeah really, I thought the heat was getting to me. I'm glad we came here now."

We have a few water battles, splashing and then do a few laps around the pool and finally just relax, sitting down at the shallow end to talk.

"So you're going on this date Sunday," Mika turns to me and I nod, weary of the term "date." She shakes her head. "What are you going to wear?" I look at her and I can all ready tell that she is coming up with my outfit in her mind as she speaks. This is going to be a hell of a Sunday.

"I don't know what I'll wear. Why? Did you want to make the outfit?"

She nods. "Would you let me? I all ready have one made that would suit you nicely for this type of outing." I just nod at my friend, happy that she wants to do this so badly. Everyone seems to be trying rather hard to help me out.

I head to practice after that, showering and getting changed into some light workout clothes to go to the rink. The time I have for practice today I spend working on my opening routine for the upcoming season this winter. I know it seems like a while away but it's really not in retrospect, because it takes a long time to get the routines right without falling and to have the confidence it takes to know you won't fall the next time you skate.

I circle around to the center of the rink, after the first run, and hold my hand up as if I am a waitress carrying a platter full of food. I begin to skate my routine from back then, flawlessly making every jump, every turn and every move.

Pete appears, flying beside me in his own form. I smile over my shoulder at the boy, who only returns it with his own gentle smile. That's the one thing that both Sasaki and Pete have in common: a gentle smile. It's comforting and loving at the same time, no matter whether you need comfort or not.

"Thanks," I tell him suddenly, causing him to make a small, confused noise. For some reason, I find this extremely adorable and I don't know why. Sometimes, he just does that to me, throwing me off with a smile or a look and I don't have any reason for it. "Just for dealing with me I guess."

He smiles broadly now. "Come on Tazusa! Do some more jumps. I love watching you skate!"

I can't help another smile at the boy's words but I soon turn away, embarrassed. I'll be going out with another guy on Sunday, I shouldn't be like this. Pete and I are hardly friends at times. Most of the time we seem like we hate each other, or I seem like I hate him and he's endlessly nice to me. Yup, that's the nature of this human-ghost parasite relationship.

He floats around behind me, one of his hands supporting one of mine and I look back at him, timid for the first time in so long I can't even recall feeling like this before. My mouth falls open a little and he smiles at me again. "Let's do this," He says soothingly and I nod at him almost from instinct, giving him my best one hundred watt smile.

For some reason, sleep comes to me really easily that night. Since I'm used to not being able to sleep through the season, this is rather refreshing to be able to get into bed and go right to sleep.

"Tazu-nee," Yoko comes in and I look over at her with a smile when I see she has my outfit for the date tomorrow. "It's here." I go over and take the outfit, thanking her and sending her back to wherever she had been before.

"All right!" I'm actually pretty excited now and take off my clothes without thinking about it, humming to myself lightly as I go to change.

_Umm…Tazusa…_Pete's voice breaks my concentration.

I look down, realizing that I am only in my bra and underwear and hear him yell out. "Hurry up and close your eyes!"

With those words I waste no time in shutting my eyes tightly, somehow feeling very embarrassed. "Stupid hentai," I mutter as I feel around my room for my blindfold and get it on and then and only then do I change into my date outfit. "You should really do something about that nasty habit of letting me get my clothes off before saying anything."

He whines. "Oh come on Tazusa, I'm not like that! Not even a little! I can only do my best!"

I take off the blindfold, getting mad again. "Yeah right, give me a break! Like in the changing stall yesterday? That had no meaning behind it whatsoever, I'll bet," He is speechless and I nod, taking the silence to mean I am right. "I thought so."

He sighs. "Tazusa, who wouldn't become interested in someone they are stuck to for one hundred days? It's only natural to become curious."

I nod my head in a sarcastic manner. "Right. Completely convincing."

He throws his head back. "Fine, be that way!"

This just pisses me off and I turn to the boy, screaming. "Be what way? I'm not 'being' anything! It's you that's being a pervert!"

Turning to my wall I beat my head against it until I can't stand it anymore and then fall back onto my bed, tears at the corners of my eyes from the amount of pain I'd just caused myself. "Tazusa," He sounds like he's about to try and rationalize. "Look, stop hurting yourself okay? Eat tomatoes or go out with this guy, but I don't want you to go smashing your head off walls to punish me."

I sit up, turning to the ghost, astonished. "Pete?"

He shrugs casually, smiling.

I get up and go and stand in the mirror, looking over the new outfit.

It's just my style, a thin summer shirt with a wide collar and a pair of khaki shorts that underlay it, complete with a pair of sandals. It's so cute that I think I could pass out…or maybe that's just from me hitting my head against the wall so many times. I guess lightheadedness does tend to follow smashing your head against a wall.

Pete appears beside me, grinning widely. "It looks good!" He compliments.

I feel my face go red and this time, knowing that it's me blushing makes it a different story. I lift a hand to my face and slap myself, hard.

"Ouch! Hey, what did I just tell you about doing that!"

But I don't reply to him. _You deserved it!_ _Why? I don't know! But you just did and that's all there is to that!_

How can he make me blush like this so suddenly? It's just plain strange and it's throwing me way off. I'm always mad at this boy for one thing or another and here he is making me blush and saying sweet things.

The next morning is a bit early for me and I am groggy, that is, until I am at the mall, waiting for Sasaki to show up. I look at my cell phone. Six fifty-five and almost show time. I can't help but feel a little nervous. This is the first time that I've ever dated someone and I'm about dying here. I've never been nervous. Not once in my life. I'm the confident beauty, Sakurano Tazusa. I don't get nervous. All except for this moment that is and it's irritating me.

Imagine the famous Sakurano Tazusa, sitting on a bench in an empty mall, feeling apprehensive. I mean really, me being nervous like this? I feel so utterly ridiculous. I have never let anyone get the better of me like this, well, except for maybe the mass media, but they're shameless, slinking parasites who will do anything to get the stories they put in the papers. It's a whole different story when it comes to those leeches.

I take a seat on the nearest bench I can find and breath in deeply. Pete appears beside me, looking worried. "It'll be okay. There's no reason to be that nervous. I'm sure he's a good guy and that it'll go well." I look at Pete, pretty confused.

He didn't seem too happy the first time I talked to this guy and he never seemed to like the idea that I was going out with him and yet here Pete is, assuring me that the date will be a success. From the first time I even seemed interested in Sasaki, Pete hated the idea of my being around him and he didn't seem to wild about Sasaki himself, either. He sure can be possessive for such a laid back, casual type. That's why behaviors such as encouragement are so utterly baffling to me coming from him at this moment. Pete is helping me out now. He's trying to make me feel better about this date even though he doesn't want me to go on it. I can't help but wonder why. Who wouldn't?

"Pete?" I ask.

"Yeah?" He appears, smiling.

I have to make myself ask this, because now I am not sure how he will react. "Why are you helping me with this?"

Looking shocked initially, Pete shrugs. "You're going to do whatever you want. I'd rather not spend my extra one hundred days doing battle with you all the time."

Well, that certainly makes sense but just to be sure, I glance over at him. Pete is silent, staring at the floor with a small smile on his face. I know he'd like me to believe that he's happy for me, but it's really not working. He definitely looks like something's really upsetting him.

It pisses me off that he'd be so upset and just not say anything about it to me. I mean, hell we are sharing a body. That's as intimate as two people could ever be. Why shouldn't we just talk to each other when something is bothering one of us? I mean, I have spent every day listening to all of his comments and advice and things like that, but now, when I want him to talk, he's got nothing to say. Am I that difficult to speak with?

I look at my cell phone again. Six fifty-seven. He should be here any minute. I smile confidently to myself, recalling how I had nailed my performance at the Olympics and how I had come home with a forth place title. Out of all of the skaters in the whole would I am the forth best. As to be expected of this ten billion yen beauty, because when there's something I want, I go for it and I get it.

If I can get forth place a worldwide competition then I can most definitely handle some guy, right? I mean, I am me after all. I can do anything that I set my mind to. Then, why is it that I still feel so nervous?

I close my eyes, trying to envision the skating rink, because in times like these, that seems to calm me down.

_I skate across the ice in my waitress outfit, smiling as much as I've remembered smiling in a long time. I turn to someone, words coming out of my mouth, but all I see is an obscure figure moving beside me. I am still smiling so widely. _My eyes open again and I feel a little angry. Why can't I remember that person? What is it about them that keeps evading me so well?

I sigh and look up to see Sasaki standing in front of me coolly, smiling that gentle smile. I grin back and stand up.

"Good morning." He says, doing a little dance with the cups in his hands and spinning around to hand my cup to me.

I roll my eyes. "Morning people." _Great, _I grin not only agitated but also happy. _That's just what I need, another one of those._

He shrugs. "We all have our thing. I guess I tend to think you should start all your days with a positive attitude instead of a bad one."

"Well that's just great for you. Personally, I think people should start every day when the sun actually has risen," He looks amused by this, which causes me to smile. How cute can one guy be with just an amused smile on his face? I don't know, I'm still trying to think of something to compare it to. "That being said, you have probably noticed that my attitude about being up already on a Sunday isn't the greatest," I comment, making Sasaki laugh this time.

"I noticed." He returns, grinning playfully at me. "Hopefully the day will make you feel a bit better about waking up so early. My apologies for waking Ms. Nocturnal before the correct hour of the day."

"You should be sorry and be praying that this day _does_ go well." I tell him this, mocking anger. He laughs at me again.

By god if it's not the cutest sound that I've ever heard. I mean really, if people could bottle this sound and sell it, they would make a fortune because this noise could make even the gloomiest, most irritable person with the worst attitude ever break into a smile or even laugh. I would know, sometimes I do have the worst attitude ever.

This is not my personality at all, to be thinking some guy is so cool like this. But, by the same token, I've never met a guy like Sasaki before. Most men either marvel at my feet or they think I'm a snob, but he has done neither since I met him. He treats me like we are just two people that happen to be headed in the same direction.

"Shall we get started then?" He holds out his elbow to me, offering it for me to take hold of. I smile and reach out, taking his arm confidently.


	5. Bad Luck Boy

Devine Intervention

Chapter four

I never dreamed of the day when I'd be dating a guy. Me of all people, Pete Pumps, a sixteen-year-old Canadian male, on a date with another guy. Okay, well, it's actually Tazusa that's on the date with this Sasaki guy. But personally, I don't believe that it's much better than if I _was_ actually the one on the date with him. If I had it my way, she wouldn't be here at all. I'd take her place and go on the stupid date with this annoying guy myself if she'd just call it a day and go home.

Of course, that would only work if we didn't have to be attached to each other all of the time. It doesn't do much good to fantasize about impossible things, because in less than a hundred days, I'll be gone and our relationship will be over as we know it. There will be no more waking her up in the morning just to have her hit herself in the head with a pillow and tell me to shut up. There will be no more longs talks, walking through the park and watching planes come in over the river. There will be no more laughs, good times or pleasantries. It will be over.

At least he is real, not to infer that I am not real, because I am a person, I'm just a dead person. I'm simply suggesting that out of the two of us, he'd be the better option. If that were the nature of Tazusa's and my relationship, but it's not as it is. Maybe that's what it is about him that's pissing me off so much.

Maybe I want to ring Sasaki's skinny little neck because he has what I no longer have: a life. Or maybe it's because he is able to attain what I cannot: Tazusa. He is able to hug her when she is sad, hold her to love her, take her hand for a bit of teen aged romantics, but I will never be able to do any one of those things. I guess that's why I just hate this boy with every fiber of my being.

Of course, this also means that I like her. And, do you know what? I do. I'm not going to deny it to myself when I don't have any time to waste, for crying out loud, I'm all ready dead. I don't have any time left to waste, except for the eighty some odd days I have left to be attached to Tazusa. But that's not time that should be wasted either, now is it?

I'm not just interested in her for what she does. I'm not just attracted to her for strange reasons I don't understand. I like her. I like her more than I ever would have expected myself to. It's crazy how short of a time it can take to fall so completely for someone. I like so much about her too. She yells at me, eats things I like and injures herself just to hurt me. I still like her and I like her a lot. It's always the things that hurt me the most huh?

When she had first thought about doing this, I was initially against it and still am, my view isn't going to change. However, I can't stop what I feel for her and I won't stand in the way of her being happy, even if it's never going to be with me. So, while it may be bothering me right now, I am not going to say anything. Just my acknowledgment of my feelings for her is enough for the time being. For now, I want to so casually observe and see where this thing they have is headed while subtly dropping hints to her about my feelings.

I feel that this is the best approach to gaining Tazusa's approval of me. I want her to like me in her own time, in her own way because I know if I try to force her then she's only going to dislike me even more than she already does. I don't want that. As much as I argue back and fight with her all of the time, the only thing that I want is her approval. That's what I care about and if sitting on the sidelines while she is hanging out with some other guy is the best way to go about that then, well, that's just what I have to do.

Right now, they sit at a table in a small outdoor courtyard of one of the mall's many cafes. They are talking easily for a first date. "So," Tazusa begins the conversation. "Do you ask all girls out via walkie-talkie? That's definitely the most unconventional thing I've ever heard of."

He chuckles at this and I feel something pang in my chest when she reacts, because I can tell she likes him, but I do my best to ignore it. It hurts, I have to say that I've never felt this kind of hurt before. So, there's really nothing to compare it to nor is there any plausible way to describe it other than to say this: It's so brutal.

"I don't know, you seemed like someone whose attention wouldn't easily be grasped by conventional methods." He leans onto the table, resting his head on the backs of his hands, which are neatly laced together.

Tazusa smiles, nodding her head at the writer. "That's surprisingly not inaccurate."

Just at that same moment a waitress carrying a trey full of cups of steaming hot tea walks by and just happens to trip, spilling them all over Tazusa. Both of us cry out at exactly the same moment, the scalding liquid pouring down over her back and splashing up into her face.

Sasaki, of course, jumps right to her aid, coming to her side with an apologetic look on his face. "Jeez, I'm so sorry. Hey, let me clean this up for you. Miss, could you get me a rag?" He asks the girl, who is still trying to apologize.

When she returns with the cold rag, he sets to work, instantly drying off the hot liquid while trying to be as gentle as possible. She is staring at him through the whole thing, her eyes trailing after the boy as he moves. Intent on watching the boy work his magic, Tazusa still hasn't noticed that her mouth has fallen open a little, or that her heart is beating so ferociously.

However, I certainly have. The way that she is looking at him, her eyes following his hands that clean her off without faltering even once…it's infuriating. If I wasn't a ghost, I would definitely punch him in the face right now. I wish I could too, I really wish that I could just leap out of Tazusa's body and knock the asshole out.

He stands her up now as they look at each other, his eyes locking onto hers and vice-versa. Her heart has slowed a little and now she looks a bit calmer. He just gives her a tender smile, taking a step closer as his hand tightens in place over the washrag on her shoulder. "Come on, let's go find something for you to change into."

She continues to stare at him for a minute, both overwhelmed and a little surprised before giving a reply. "Okay." It sounds timid, so unlike her. But, she's mostly only rude and abrasive when she's talking to me, not other people. She's typically on the offensive with strangers and reporters. But, he's not a stranger or a reporter. So, I'd imagine that she'd be submissive around a guy like this when she's never been out on a date to speak of before today.

They head to a favorite store of Tazusa's in the mall and Sasaki offers to buy her a new outfit, feeling bad that the one Mika made had been ruined. Being polite, at first Tazusa declines but he insists so she figured it'd be even ruder to not accept a gift that he's trying to give to her on a date.

We go into the changing stall with her outfit choice and when she takes off the blindfold, I could about die all over again. She just looks so incredibly cute in pair of long shorts and a puff-sleeved, swoop-collared shirt. I never realized that this was something Tazusa would wear. I guess I just didn't know her that well yet.

Appearing beside her as she looks up at me with a mischievous little smile, I can't help sending my own grin in her direction. "Kawaii," I state simply. "You're a knock out in that! Very kawaii." I feel her beginning to blush and smile a little, glad I can at least have that much of an effect on her.

She turns and leaves the stall, pushing the door open to find Sasaki waiting there. When he sees her I can only assume that what's going on inside of his head is consistent with how I felt when she took of her blindfold and let me see it. While I cannot blame him for this natural response, I can't help but feel a little angry again.

They leave the mall after this and he takes her to a private park for a while and tries to teach her how to roller blade while eating ice cream. Needless to say, this goes extremely well almost all the way through as well. He is showing her this and that and when she does it wrong they both laugh. They hold down conversations the whole way through the lesson, the topics random and meaningless.

I can't believe that Tazusa is having such a good time. I didn't think something as simple as this could keep a girl like Sakurano Tazusa so entertained. Mental note: She is easily entertained. Not that I wouldn't love to go rollerblading, I mean, right now this is really fun. She is having a good time and I could care less what kind of time he's having. All that really matters is that I get so see her having so much fun.

They skate all over that park to. There is not one part of that asphalt that is left unexplored by their two pairs of roller blades.

I'm intrigued the whole way through. I've never heard this girl laugh so much before in the short time that I've known her. I'm happy that she's enjoying herself so much instead of worrying about practice or worrying about punishing me.

Suddenly, I feel someone holding her hand. She looks down to reveal to me that Sasaki has reached out and closed his hand over hers and I have to bite my tongue until if I were living I'd draw blood just to keep from screaming at the top of my lungs. His head tilts a little bit as Tazusa stares, still slightly taken aback.

However, when his fingers tighten around hers she smiles and I feel her face begin to heat up considerably. Her heart begins to race as his smile softens more and more. Staring at one another so much, neither one realizes as they roll right off the path and Tazusa collides head first with a light pole, falling back onto her butt on the ground.

"Sakurano-san!" He yells, dropping to his knees beside her on the ground and grabbing her wrists.

"Here, let me see that!" Carefully, she allows him to move her hands out of the way, to reveal a huge red mark on her forehead. Looking guilty as he very well should be, he moves back and lowers his head.

"I'm sorry, Sakurano-san…here, let's go get some ice on that," The two of them stand up and head to the nearest vendor, Sasaki asking for some ice while Tazusa waits for him of the bench across the pathway.

Frowning, I appear beside the silent girl, searching her face for any sign of anger. "Tazusa, I'm…" But I stop short, unable to find words that will sound right. This isn't the time or the place for me to try and be comforting so I simply make myself scarce, disappearing back inside of her.

Soon, Sasaki returns carrying a plastic bag full of ice and tilts Tazusa's head so that she is leaning on his shoulder while gently applying the pack to her forehead. She looks up at him to find that he is still looking very upset. I have to hand it to this kid, when it comes to caring about Tazusa, he's leaving no question as to what his feelings are. Good for him.

She is astounded that he'd worry so much like this and I have to wonder why. _Here is someone, Tazusa, who obviously really cares about you, why don't you understand that? _But, as I think this, I have to wonder if it's me sticking up for Sasaki or pointing out my own dilemma. In this case, just for these few moments, our situations do have a similar dynamic.

"I'm sorry about that." He repeats, looking all the more upset with himself.

I know what Tazusa's going to say before she even speaks. I can feel it coming. "It's all right. It's only because I wasn't looking where I was going. So, where do you want to go next?" Both Sasaki and I are shocked, staring at her like she has lobsters coming out of her ears or something.

Sasaki gives a laugh, causing Tazusa to only smile more widely. "I'm a dangerous proposition, are you sure you want to risk further injury?"

She sits up now, holding the ice against her forehead and balling her free hand into a fist. "This is the girl with ten billion yen worth of good looks. I can handle anything! Bring it on, Mr. Friday the thirteenth," She pauses here and they both glance at one another again and then break into laughter.

I don't believe this! I thought for sure that she was going to just explode on him! She'd be trying to kill me, if I could die again, if I had let her glide into a light pole like that. But here she is, asking him to continue the date and laughing with him!

So, with that being said he now takes her to the creek that runs through the park to unwind as last part of the date and after a date like this I'm betting that she really needs it. After getting burned and being slammed into a light pole, I couldn't believe she is still out with this guy. Tazusa is either feeling really generously patient today or she's just nuts.

They sit beside the small creek, their feet in the water while watching the clouds float by overhead. "This is nice," Tazusa suddenly comments, swinging her feet back and forth in the water.

He turns to her and smiles. "Yeah, well, the rest of it was kind of a wreck,"

Her brow furrows in confusion. I sigh out loud here and curse myself for it when her eyes turn back over her shoulder as if she is trying to look at me."It was? Who says?"

Sasaki's eyes narrow a little before he responds. "Well, no one really said anything. The bruises on your forehead and burn marks on your arm speak for themselves."

She giggles a bit here and turns back so she is facing the creek again. "I guess that's true," She leans over, bumping into him playfully with her shoulder.

"It was a fun wreck." He bumps her back and I growl this time. How dare he? My Tazusa! She's _mine_! Or, if she could be, she would be, but we are sharing a body, so, back off. Now I have laid claim to Tazusa and I don't want to share! _Damn it…_I can't help thinking when his hand comes down over hers. _Stop touching her hand! Stop looking at her like this!_

His eyes bare down on hers, like he's searching her for an answer to some question that he hasn't asked yet. Tazusa smiles confidently and nods at him and this is when I realize that she's reassuring him that she was just fine with the way things went today. I guess that's to be expected, since Tazusa can do whatever she wants. My possessing her has nothing to do with what she will and will not like, because that is a choice that Tazusa makes entirely on her own.

"I'm glad," He says softly and stands up, stretching out his arms. "Do you think we should be headed back soon?" He asks, still in mid-stretch as she get so her feet.

"Yeah, if I'm too long I'll never hear the end of it from Yoko and Takashima coach will worry about me." He lowers his arms rapidly, hitting Tazusa squarely in the back and knocking her off the bank and down into the water.

Splash! In goes Tazusa and now both her and I are dripping wet, spitting out river water. Tazusa looks around, awestruck that he was actually careless enough to do something like that. I want to strangle him with all my strength. Tazusa looks up at him and he quickly jumps in after her, looking worried.

"Tazusa!" He comes closer. "Are you all right?" She nods, silent for a moment until she just erupts into a fit of hysterical laughter, falling back in the water again with another splash. Sasaki, like me, is utterly confused until she stands back up, splashing water all over the boy. For a moment, he just stands there, dazed.

"You really are Mr. Friday the thirteenth!" He soon breaks into a smile and I'm sure that looking at the cute, very wet Tazusa right now, he can't help but smile. He jumps toward her, now laughing out loud as well, splashing water onto her as she cries out and tries to run away. So, needless to say, they both go home, soaked thoroughly that day.

He drops her off at her front step, looking upon her apologetically. "Well, that could have gone better."

She smiles her best smile I've ever seen up at this guy. "I beg to differ, Sasaki-san."

His eyes soften more and he places a hand on the side of her face. Ugh, I think I'm going to be sick! Please stop touching her! Please take your hand off of her face and just freaking walk away all ready!

I have never wanted to kill someone so many times in the course of just a few hours. Scratch that, I've never felt this incredible urge to ring someone's neck before in my lifetime. I don't see myself as a violent person by nature so I know that I really must hate this boy. Or I really must be jealous.

He leans in and kisses the opposite cheek of the one he has placed his hand on and her heart begins to pound so hard I think she'll burst open. When he pulls back he looks at her carefully and Tazusa's face begins to turn red. "Thanks for putting up with that today." He turns away to leave and then looks back at Tazusa as if he has forgotten something.

There is a short moment where nothing is said. Both teens stand there, staring into one another's eyes. Poor Tazusa is a whirlwind of emotions at the moment, not only feeling anxious but also happy. She's got a colony of butterflies doing like the Great Migration in her stomach right now, though she's trying with all her might to remain composed on the outside.

"I'm curious about something," He states suddenly, startling her.

"Oh, are you? What's that?"

"Do you think you could give me a chance at topping today's train wreck?"

Crossing her arms, Tazusa is definitely now feeling more confident of herself. "I don't know. Next time I may actually die. Don't you think so?"She smiles at him, telling him that she's only kidding and he shrugs.

"It seems likely, I am a pretty dangerous guy." Looking at the soaking wet Sasaki that I see before me now, I never would have guessed "danger" and this guy could be in the same sentence together, let alone using the word to actually describe him. But the figure skater is laughing at this as well so I listen intently.

"But, since I'm the ten billion yen girl, I think I could brave another outing with you. Bring it on, Mr. Friday the thirteenth." Tazusa is as confident as ever now. It warms something inside me.

He smiles again and then tells her a soft goodbye before turning and walking off toward the end of the driveway. As he does, I feel Tazusa suddenly wanting more and more to go after him until she finally does and runs down the driveway after him.

"Sasaki-san!" She calls and he looks back at her, surprised. She catches up and stands in front of the boy, her hands on her hips, looking proud. "Instead of Sakurano-san, just call me Tazusa."

His jaw drops open in shock for a moment as he processes her statement. Then, as if on cue, a huge smile fills the boy's face. "I'll only do that if you also call me Hideaki-kun."

She nods at this, giving him her usual deal-making smile. "It's a deal, Hideaki-kun."

He nods at her too. "It's a deal, Tazusa."

I feel chills run down her arms at this one simple word. Just him saying her name, just this one time could cause her to have chills. My jaw drops open. I could never get a response like that, no matter how hard I tried.

The next thing I know, Tazusa steps closer, moves up and returns the kiss on the cheek that he had given her earlier. He grins at her, Tazusa returning that as well as they exchange a silent goodbye before he turns and walks away.

_That's right! _I find myself thinking it with so much intensity that I feel Tazusa could have heard it. But there's no chance of that as she's too busy watching Sasaki walk away. I bare my teeth like an angry animal waiting to lunge. I want to tear this guy limb from limb. I don't care how nice he is. I don't care that he's better for her than I am. I don't even care that he's a human and I'm a ghost so I can't do anything anyway.

I want this guy to just go away and stay away. I think this is the happiest I've been all day long, watching this suave-talking, pretty boy walk away. _That's right, walk away and don't come back!_

We now head inside, Tazusa ignoring Yoko's picking and coach's worrying and walks straight up to her bedroom, shutting and locking the door. She leans onto the wood, a calm look gracing her soft pale face as she brings a hand up to touch the spot where he had kissed her earlier. Her face goes a little red but she breaks into a smile nonetheless.

I shift out of her body, standing beside her with a forced smile on my face. "You had a good time today, huh?"

She nods. "It was a lot of fun."

I sigh, though I want desperately to be supportive of her, I can't help hating the fact that she likes him so much. Nor can I help the fact that I can't stand this other boy. All I've wanted to do all day long is hurt him in some way. That doesn't convey a particularly warm relationship, now does it?

"What's your problem? Oh, right…you don't like him. I don't get you at all. All we ever do is fight and here you hate the guy I've been on one date with." She's almost snarling at me and she just walked in the door. I do know that she has a point. Trouble is: I don't care.

I growl. Never have I wanted to say anything else more than this as long as I've lived. I want to shout it into her face. _I like you! I really like you! That's why I hate him!_ But I am able to bite it down and shake my head.

"I just didn't want you to go and kiss him, cause then it'd be like me kissing him. Since I don't really swing both ways, I'd rather not, thank you." I cross my arms, indignant. My mind has been made up, that's the story I intend to stick with no matter what she does. But what I didn't expect was that she would be reaching her hand toward my face two seconds after that, looking so beyond appealing.

If I had a body, I wrap her in a hug so tight that she'd never be able to get away from me and go back to Sasaki ever again. I want to do it so badly, I want to just reach out and touch her. "Pete," Tazusa quips in this soft tone that has me hooked. My mouth falls open at this odd tone, not only surprised but something else that I can't exactly place.

However, Tazusa does not fulfill my current wish and lean in those extra few inches. Why would she? I don't think that she has any feelings for me at this point. Instead, she pulls her hand back rapidly and pinches her cheek hard. I cry out, obviously in pain. "Ita, ita, ita!"

"You should have known that was coming," Sticking out her tongue at me she turns away and sits down on her bed. "I'm going to do whatever I want. If I'm going to kiss him, that's what I'm going to do!"

I look at her, saddened by this but feign a smile. "I guess that's true. So, what are you planning on doing for the rest of the day?"

Tazusa shrugs. "I don't know, I'm not going to have a practice today."

I nod, knowing that this may be my only chance. "Why don't we go somewhere?"

She stands up off her bed faster than a speeding bullet, her face turning a little red. "Are you kidding? Like on a date? I'm seeing someone!"

I hold up my hands, playing innocent as best as I can. I know I must be subtle, but I don't want to loose her, not for what little time I'm with her. It will be a hell to spend my last days with her going out on dates with some other guy. And it can't just be her going, I have to go to because I'm stuck to her after all.

"I didn't mean like that. I just want to go back out for a while. Since I'm stuck to you I don't often do the things I like."

She scoffs. "That's not my fault."

"It isn't mine either." We stare at one another for a minute and her eyes are wider now. She looks a little embarrassed which is good because that's how I can tell she's taking my request seriously.

Crossing her arms, she turns her head away from me and I think that'll be the end of it but the words that come out of her mouth next surprise me. "I wasn't going to, but since you were kind enough to be quiet while I was out with Sasaki, I guess I could return the favor." She turns to look at me to find my face filling with a huge, grateful smile and then turns away again, her arms still crossed.

"But you and I both know that it isn't a date. We're just going to hang out."

I move closer, leaning down and whispering into her ear. "I didn't say it was going to be a date."

Her face goes bright red and she jumps off the bed now, running down stairs and into the kitchen, pulling open the crisper on the fridge. She pulls out two tomatoes and begins to devour them.

I can't stand this fruit and begin yelling out loudly. "Why Tazusa? Why do you keep eating these horrible things?"

She grins, still stuffing the horrible food into her mouth. "No reason," I look at her, feeling ill. "I just suddenly had a craving for them."

Making a face, my only comment can be this. "Liar."

Then she takes another huge bite.

**Hey readers! I hope you're all still there! It's been months and months since I have put anything up on here. I'm sorry for the delay. I did have some medical issues. But everything is resolved now and I am back to stay! I hope you all enjoy this story and please, please tell other people about the show! It needs a larger fan base and more people to write stories for it! Desperately!**

**Again, to avoid confusion, I'd like to say that because chapter one is actually a prologue, it messed up the chapter numbers. So this chapter will be categorized in the chapter list as chapter five, but is really only chapter four. It says the real chapter number as well at the top of each page. Thank you and enjoy! I'll have the other chapters up soon**


	6. My Eyes Are Opened

Devine Intervention

Chapter five

The smell of hotdogs is wafting heavily through the air. Cotton candy spins at the concession stand a few feet away as heat rises up, filling the air from all of the cooking food. The gears wind round and round on the different rides as they operate and I look around curiously. I haven't been to a carnival in quite some time so this is like being in a whole different world for me.

"Come on," Pete appears beside me, looking excited. "Let's stop standing here and go get a snack!"

I am shocked. "We just ate not more than a few hours ago, you're hungry all ready?"

He looks dissatisfied by that reply. "I may have all ready died, but I still am a teenage guy. I have a bottomless pit for a stomach," He places both hands on his stomach now, holding it as if he were hurting. "Please feed me Tazusa!"

I sigh, never ceasing to be amazed at how much like a little boy he is. Pete really is still such a child for his age. "Fine, fine what is it that you want?"

He shrugs at me. "I was thinking some cotton candy!" No way in hell am I eating that stuff. I hate the way it sticks to my teeth and turns my lips different colors.

"No way, I won't eat that. Pick something else." And, right on cue, he starts whining like usual. It's so annoying.

"I put up with you eating tomatoes all day, every day, surely you can endure one cotton candy, for me! Come on!" Pete whines on and on.

I turn over my shoulder where he is staring down at me, having realized that was the wrong thing to say. "Who's fault do you think it is that I eat the damn tomatoes!? You do something wrong and I eat them. I don't just do it because I want to."

He looks disappointed and claps his hands together, now moving from whining to begging. I roll my eyes, exasperated. Great, here we go with this. "Please Tazusa, please, please, please! I don't ask for much do I? Please get it!"

For a moment, just one short moment while I watch him try to beg I can't hold back my smile. He looks so much like a little dog, sitting at the side of your table, it's tail wagging as it waits for food to fall onto the floor. It's just so cute, almost cuter than anything I think I've seen before. His pouting smile is so charming and his eyes twinkle with that same wistful spark that I can't bring myself to say no to. I can't help but think he's exceedingly adorable when he does this.

But what am I thinking? I just got back from a date with another guy and now here I am thinking that Pete is cute! And Pete of all people is the last one I would find myself calling "charming" or "adorable." But that time, I just couldn't help myself. It's not like I have to be married at seventeen. I have my whole life ahead of me and I can do whatever I want. At that, Sasaki and I have an entire lifetime whereas Pete only has the next eighty some-odd days.

I really do like Sasaki, don't get me wrong I absolutely like him. He's good looking and charming and suave with a mysterious dynamic to him that just makes me interested. Plus he's the biggest jinx that has ever walked the earth. I really enjoyed spending time with him today, as lame as that sounds after all, the date did go horribly wrong most of the way through. I had hot tea spilled all over me and have marks from that now, I was slammed into a light pole and now have the bruise to prove it and I got a good soaking to boot.

If it'd been anyone but Sasaki, I probably would have ended the date after the tea. But looking into his eyes at that moment, I couldn't bring myself to dislike him or blame anything on him. He hadn't been the one who tripped nor had he been the one who had actually spilled the tea on me. He even bought me a whole new outfit to make up for it, which he then proceeded to soak thoroughly as well. But hey, I guess it's the thought that counts, right? Nevertheless, I ended up loving today despite all of it's major setbacks and mishaps.

So, I set the money down on the concession counter, smiling at the man working it. He just looks back at me, surprised. "One cotton candy please," I tell him.

He gets the gross, stick thing ready for me and then hands me my money back with it. I just stare confusedly at him. "Cute girls get free candy."

I recognize that voice and when he takes off the hat I realize that it's Sasaki working the stand. A huge smile fills my face and I lean over the counter, my arms folded, one over the other. "Is that so?"

He nods, smiling as Pete appears beside me, looking annoyed. "Yeah, consider it an apology for the worst date ever."

I feel bad now because I know he's upset again. "I all ready told you not to worry about that. I had a really good time today," I take a big bite of the cotton candy to shut Pete up, not wanting any interruptions at this point. Sasaki gives me that killer smile. And here I was thinking I was the only one who could do that to people with just a smile.

However, what's killing my mood is that Pete is pouting now and I stand up, unable to take it anymore. I can't stand this ghost when I'm trying to have a conversation and he's pouting like this. "Well, I'll let you get back to work," I say to Sasaki, who looks all the more surprised. "I'm just going to take a walk and look around."

Since Pete did ask me to hang out with him for a while, I figure that it will be rude of me to ignore him and start talking to Sasaki, even if Sasaki is the guy I'd rather be with. Well, I'm really not sure. I like being with either of them, most of the time. Sure, Pete is whiny and he talks too much, but that's actually one of his good qualities.

The truth is, I really don't know that much about either of them. I know that Pete is sixteen years old and that he has died somehow, but other than that he is Canadian, that's all I know.

I know that Sasaki is a freelance writer and that he also enjoys rollerblading and ice cream, but that's also all the more I know. The difference between the two is that I can find out about Pete right now.

"Pete, can I ask you a question?" I take a seat on a bench where there aren't that many people around and he appears beside me, curious.

"Sure, ask away!"

I glance at him quickly and then stare at the ground again. "Who are you?"

He seems taken aback by this, like that's not a question that he's accustomed to being asked. I turn and look at him and judging by the shock etched into his features, I'd say my assumption was correct.

"Pete Pumps, sixteen years old, Canadian…"

But I cut him off, shaking my head. "I don't mean that. I know that all ready…"

"Look!" He yelps suddenly, pointing out in front of us. "Can we go get on the Merry mixer? Can we please?" I shake my head but smile at him nonetheless and go and pay for the ticket to ride.

We must get on and off again of every single ride in the fair. I don't think I've ever eaten so much in my life. He has had a hotdog and a hamburger plus two shakes on top of the cotton candy that we started out with. I feel like I'm going to be sick to my stomach if I get on anymore rides and take a rest.

I decide to get away from the noise and head over to the creek from this morning, taking my shoes off and putting my feet in. Pete now sits beside me, smiling gently over at me. Sometimes I swear to god he has a crush on me. "Pete," I tease. "Do you have a crush on me?"

His face would have lost all of it's color if it could I'm sure, if, that is, he were alive. I giggle and he catches the joke, smiling at me.

I just go back to wondering about him and I'm sure that he's all ready noticed because I hear him sigh. "All right, I'll tell you a little." I turn to him. "I was an aviator."

"A what?" This is confusing all ready. Every other word that comes out of his mouth is nonsense sometimes.

"An acrobatic pilot. It's kind of like figure skating, done to music, dynamic maneuvers and when you do it right, you feel it inside of you." I nod.

"So then that's why you're such an airplane geek."

He looks over at me wondering how I could possibly know something like that.

"Sometimes, late at night I notice you'll watch the commercial liners fly over and when you pick the channel on T.V. we always watch something about planes and you always seem more interested in those kinds of books."

Smiling, the boy nods at me. "Then I guess I am an airplane geek. But I really loved it and during my very last performance, something went wrong with my plane and before you know it, well, that was the end of that performance. When people die they have to give up on what they wanted, for me that was to be an acrobatic pilot. For you, it is a skater."

My eyes widen at the boy's words. For someone who is so happy all the time, you never would have guessed he'd be serious once in a while. But then, I guess that your own death isn't something that you can very well be happy about. When I first met him, even though I knew he was all ready dead, it had never really registered on me that he had died. He was just a nuisance up until now.

And this is when I realize that all along I've been like this so far. Always calling him names, being mean and eating tomatoes just to torture him. But he's such a good guy and all along he's been nothing but kind and helpful to me, except for when he had to defend himself. I've been so selfish and unforgiving. Not thoughtful or compassionate at all. I should have known that if a sixteen year old boy is a ghost, he didn't die of natural causes. Yet, I had never even bothered to ask about it. I've never asked about any part of his life. I never knew anything more than he was a sixteen year old Canadian. This is just mind boggling and that's pretty sad. I didn't know anything about him and I spend all my time with him. Sure, I am forced to but I still am always with him. I feel like such an idiot.

I turn and look at him, he looks at me and we both go to say something at exactly the same moment until Sasaki's voice suddenly interrupts us. I turn, looking excited and Pete just lowers his head, disappearing back inside of me. I know that I have been asked by Pete to spend the rest of today wondering around with him so I know somehow I have to get rid of Sasaki without hurting his feelings.

"Hideaki-kun," I say shyly, smiling up at him. He grins back and takes a seat beside me.

"About that second date…" He breaks off and I hear Pete mumble something but don't quite catch it. "I was wondering, how is Friday night? I didn't get the chance to ask you back at the stand because you ran away so fast. I know I'm scary, but you don't need to run away."

I nod, laughing at how he has such a sense of humor about these things. "Sure, I'll practice early that day and meet you…" I leave this open so that he can fill in the blank for me, excited, though I know this could be my possible second and last date. With his luck, it's almost certain.

He grins. "There is a Mystery dinner coming up at the college. I got two tickets. It's a five star rated place with a three course meal and we get a free show."

I've never been to one of those before but I figure that any night out with Hideaki is bound to be eventful. With his luck, we'll probably end up breaking something and getting thrown out or I'll end up losing an eye or something.

I giggle and he looks at me, confused. "What's so funny?"

"I was just wondering what injuries I'm going to sustain this time," He smiles at me and then stands up, making me follow him with my eyes. "I'll take pictures and hang them up in my hall of shame."

"Make sure you have your walkie-talkie handy Tazusa," He tells me. "I'll be 'not calling' to confirm our plans sometime," I laugh at this as well, hearing Pete groan in annoyance.

My eyes narrow and I know he feels me do this so he abruptly shuts up. "You do that then, Hideaki-kun."

After he turns and walks away, Pete appears beside me once more. "Let's get out of here!" He says cheerfully and I look into his soft blue eyes, waiting for something to happen. "Let's go to the rink, you have old skates there don't you?" I nod and stand, putting my shoes back on and we hail a cab to get to the rink.

I put on my little red practice outfit, a jacket and some skates and head out onto the ice. Pete appears, floating beside me and I look back over my shoulder, smiling at him. I do a triple toe loop and follow it up with a double-axel for fun and at the end throw in my favorite, the Lutz, just to be true to myself.

He smiles down at me.

"That was a good jump," I say and he nods his head.

"A very good jump."

But something is beginning to bother me. When I had looked back and smiled at him before that had been extremely similar to…_I look back over my shoulder, smiling happily and talking to that same obscure figure as before._ I can't help but begin to question it now, the fact that Pete and that person seem to be one in the same. It's so weird, like experiencing a very real kind of Déjà vu.

"What is it Tazusa?" He questions and I turn back to him.

"Do you think…" I turn in time to avoid the wall coming up. "That maybe we've met before? I mean before you possessed me."

His mouth falls open a bit and he shrugs. "I don't know. I definitely feel like I know you from somewhere else, if that's what you mean. But how could we have? It's not like I'd forget dying once, let alone two times."

I shrug. If he doesn't know the answer to that then how does he expect that I would know? Of course, the question itself was probably meant in the rhetorical sense. Also, he had made a valid point.

I smile, fixing on irritating him a little bit. "With my luck, you've probably all ready possessed me once. I don't know how I wouldn't remember feeling like this all the time though."

He scoffs, clearly irritated. I have achieved my goal! "Feeling like what all the time?"

"Oh you know," I smile to myself. "Not being able to take a bath correctly, or change correctly or even go to the bathroom in peace. Being possessed by a loud, perverted dead guy in general is a lousy way to feel all the time. Poor state of being."

He pouts again and I feel my face heat up, finding myself thinking about how cute it is again.

"I leave you alone during all of those things. I keep my mouth shut and don't talk and you can just pretend like I'm not there. It's not like I choose to be in the bathroom with you."

I laugh dryly and turn so that our eyes will meet again. "That's it though, you're still there. I can't just pretend that you aren't and…" Suddenly embarrassed, I turn back to face forward and slow myself to a stop at the wall, leaning onto it. I'm such an ass sometimes. So insensitive to how he might be feeling. It makes me cringe to think about how scared he must be. He won't ever live again. I am his only chance to live again. So what do I do? I spend all my time trying to make him more upset! I'm nothing but a jerk, I swear.

He floats up beside me, looking very concerned. "What's wrong?"

But I'm smiling as I turn back to face him, my sudden guilt trip having subsided now. However, I do feel the need to at least try to be nice to him. If I only had 100 days to be on this Earth, I'd sure want someone to be kind and considerate toward me, not tear me down all the time. "And I don't want you to go away. As annoying as it is to have someone who has to be with you every second of every day who's always yammering on about stuff that doesn't matter…" I pause as he leans in a little more, nodding his head as if he's cheering me on. "I kinda like it."

He smiles. "No one said that you have to change or bathe irregularly," He tells me and I look at him, my face heating up. He quickly rephrases. "I didn't mean it that way. All I meant was if there's any other way that you'd be more comfortable doing such things, then do so. You don't have to change your habits for me."

His smile has me hooked. I don't want him to know this so I just remain still, my expression unchanged. "Are you trying to console me about our situation?" I question.

"That is what it sounded like to me." Pete replies and I can't help but grin widely at this.

"Thanks."

He's being so nice to me again. I can't figure out why cause I basically just called him a bother. But, at least I didn't tell him that I wanted him gone or anything like that. That's as far from the truth as it could get and I'm finally starting to realize this. I shake my head again. How is it that I can feel this strongly about Pete and still like Sasaki?

I mean I really like Sasaki, so I wouldn't want him to leave and being with him would mean that I'd rather Pete be out of the picture. But that's just it. I don't want that either. Pete is a good guy and a good friend and I feel like I've known him all my life. But I don't know how I would know him, I've never met him before. I don't think I've ever met him before anyway.

Sure Pete annoys the hell out of me a lot of the time, but he sure is nice to me. Or, he at least tries to be nice to me. Whereas, I have not, as of yet. I hope to change that little by little, lest he should really upset me, starting today.

It's now around six in the evening and I am headed home. The sun's actually still up since the days are longer now and normally I'd be smiling at this fact but right now the Pete situation is really bothering me. How can I all ready know him if we never met? I really wish I could figure it out because it's only going to drive me crazy if I don't.

I get home and am still so deep in my thoughts that I forget what I am doing for once. I head into my private bathroom, taking off my shirt and my shorts carefully. Going over, I turn on the water to the tub and then wait on the side as it fills up, looking down at my feet. My hand suddenly begins to trace along my leg and I look at it, fascinated. I didn't realize that Pete was or is able to move parts of my body, and on some level, it is a bit creepy. However, it is also…strangely good.

I really should be mad at him, yell at him, scold him or punish him but for once I am not angry. For once, I really don't care at all. I would swear I liked it if I wasn't too busy denying it because of the fact that I am seeing someone.

"Pete," I voice. My hand freezes and then falls limp, as I myself am not actually moving it. I think he might be wondering why I don't sound mad like usual. "Why are you doing that?" Now he's downright shocked, appearing beside me, his mouth hanging open. I guess part of this was all just a ploy to get my attention then.

"You're not going to hit yourself or eat a tomato or call me a pervert or anything?"

I look at him, a mischievous twinkle in my eyes and I know he can tell what I'm thinking. "Why, do you want me to?"

Holding up his hands is his best defense. "No, no, that's fine. I'm just surprise-" He stops short, when I begin to take off my sports bra, looking as if his head is about to explode.

I stop short of actually taking it off and put it back in place, turning to him with a devilish smile. I know full well what I've just done to him and take a few steps closer to where he is standing, looking up at him.

"Ta-Tazusa!" He stammers, looking as flustered as I've ever seen him while my face goes beet red with his embarrassment.

I reach out a hand, making like I am going to poke him in the nose but I know this won't affect him so I just continue to point and smile. "I got you!" I hear myself quip in a sickeningly cute little girl's voice. My face burns.

His eyes are wide for a few more minutes until he finally manages an embarrassed smile. "Uh…um yeah…"

That's got to be the most coherent thing I've ever heard the guy say after I've toyed with him. He managed one whole intelligent word, but that's as far as he got. I close my eyes and he disappears back inside of me. I take off my bra and my underwear, hopping into the now full Japanese style bathtub. I hear Pete sigh, feeling relaxed and my face heats up.

"What happened to keeping your mouth shut?" I tease and he says nothing as I stare up at the ceiling.

"Oh…and by the way today was fun."

He sighs once more. _Yeah, today was fun! We should do it again!_

I close my eyes. "Yeah we should." I should have said no to that, but knowing that he goes everywhere I do, even if I said no it wouldn't make a difference.

For a moment there is nothing heard but the gentle splash of the water as I move in the tub. I lean my head back a bit, melting into the hot water. For some reason, the silence is uneasy for me. I want to say something, just to hear Pete speak.

Before I can, Pete speaks. He clears his throat.

"Ummm…" For the first time, he sounds genuinely upset. It's not a major, weeping, shaking upset…just enough though, that I notice. "Tazusa?"

"Yes?" I question, sitting up in the tub and wrapping my arms around my knees.

"Umm…" Pete is really having trouble here for some reason. "I…am sorry…about you know…that thing I did…well, you know. I just am sorry."

I'll give him credit here and lean back once more, crossing one leg over the other. "It'll be just fine. Don't worry about it."

And with that, him and I enjoy a quiet conversation throughout the remainder of my bath. For once, I don't have the will to be mad and fight with him nor do I wish to. It seems as though my eyes have finally been opened. And I am happy that they were.


	7. The Breaking Point

Devine Intervention

Chapter six

The next week passes the same as the other days have, going out with friends, running into Sasaki here and there and having to sit through Tazusa's long talks and little outings with him. I can't take this guy anymore. I really do wish that this could work out. I wish that he wouldn't be in my way so I'd have a chance to confess. I wish that he'd go away.

No, I don't wish that. I don't want Tazusa to be all upset about it. What I really wish would happen is that I could just be alive so that I wouldn't have to deal with this. I could hold her then. I could have a chance to hold her then. I could have a chance to prove I deserve her too. If I were alive and I could have my own body, I'd never let go of her. I don't care who else wants her.

I'm quickly reaching my breaking point. I'm not going to be able to just hold my tongue anymore and sit on the sidelines watching her be happy with this other guy. I've been just barely managing with it since I decided that's how it was going to be not that long ago. But I'm quickly coming to see that though this may be best for her, the latter of my two choices would have been easier on me.

If I would have manned up and just told her how I felt then I might have had a chance. But now that she's with this other guy because I couldn't gather my courage, I don't know what I'm going to do. I feel like I'll go crazy.

I watch her now as she happily walks down the street, humming a tune quietly to the music playing in her earphones. I grin like an idiot but I can't help it at all. She's so pretty and it doesn't help that she's so happy right now. She's smiling and humming to the beat of her music and nodding her head from side to side slightly as if trying to dance without having anyone notice it. I can't help liking that. I just adore her so much.

She looks back at me confusedly and god if I wouldn't just love to jump on her and kiss her with everything I have in me. But I can't do that. Even if we could really touch, she has a boyfriend and she's going out with him again tomorrow. I just don't win any way I look at it. If I were alive she'd be with somebody, but I'm dead and I can't really even touch her anyway. My situation just sucks all around.

It doesn't help that she has been so annoyingly careful to make sure she forgets to do certain things anymore. Just things like forgetting to put a blindfold on to change and conveniently standing in front of the mirror "on accident." Or not paying attention when she's getting out of her clothes to get a bath. I know that she does these things purposefully even though when I asked her about it she replied with nothing more than a sly smile.

But I don't get one thing about it. I don't know why she'd want to do something like that. She obviously likes that Sasaki guy. Why is she doing these things to me when all it's doing is making me go crazy? Oh, well that right there might be enough of a reason for someone like Tazusa. She doesn't mind doing much of anything as long as it's to irritate me. That's just how she is.

"What's wrong?" She stops in front of a small church and looks at me casually.

I smile and shake my head, trying to reassure her that everything is as it should be though it is clearly not. I happen to glance over her shoulder at the little building and it seems so familiar. There is a pastor standing out front, smiling at Tazusa I can only assume, since no one on this earth can see me save for Tazusa. Tazusa looks over at him as well.

We walk over, meeting the man.

"Hello child," He says to Tazusa, who returns the man's smile, most likely just trying to be polite.

"Hello sir." Tazusa bows respectfully.

"It's a nice day out isn't it?"

She nods at him, still trying to smile. "It is."

We have a short conversation with the man before turning away and waving a goodbye. However, the last thing he says catches both of us off guard. I don't really catch much of it, but I know Tazusa has heard it clearly and it seems to be bothering her as we walk. He has said something to the effect of using time to the fullest or something like it. I watch her face carefully, floating along beside her.

She looks apprehensive, her eyes glimmering with fright. Her mouth is curved downward into a very fine-line frown. Her hands ball into fists at her sides and I quickly reach out, gently taking one of her hands in mine though she can't really feel it. "It'll be all right."

She looks at me, our eyes meet. She still does not seem convinced. Tazusa is more upset than I have ever seen her. This is the day before she is going to go out on a date. She should be squealing to her friends about it or obsessing over what to wear. Isn't that what girls do before a date? But then, that's not in her personality at all. Tazusa doesn't initially freak out over things concerning boys. Sure, she's as protective of herself as any girl has the right to be but she's not a boy-obsessed, squealer type girl either.

I smile at the girl trying the last thing I know. "Don't let what he said bother you. I have no idea what he was talking about anyway."

"I do," She pulls her hand away from me, leaving me stunned. "But I'd rather not talk about it. You're right, I have a date to be preparing for."

I nod. "That's the spirit."

I can't tell what she's thinking for most of the day. She hasn't said much. She just keeps spacing out and staring while walking down the street or sitting in the window in her room. She looks stressed out or worried about something. I wish that she would talk to me about it but I know that it's useless to keep on pressing these issues with her. It won't accomplish anything except making her mad and I'll end up eating tomatoes again.

"Hey, Pete?" She asks and I sit beside her on the floor and give her the only thing I can offer, a smile.

"What is it?"

"I'm going to try and be nicer to you all right?" My jaw about hits the floor upon hearing Tazusa say this but I refrain from asking why only because I know where that will get me. No matter what she says, she'll always be Tazusa.

"Okay Tazusa," I take her hand again. "I'll get along with you better from now on too."

She gives me a big grin and leans forward a little but just as quickly pulls back, looking upset. I can't tell what it is she wanted but if she wanted it, I want her to have it. "Go on Tazusa, you can."

She shakes her head at me. "No, it's impossible anyway." I am shocked. Is she talking about what I think she is?

"You may not feel anything," I tell her, really trying to reassure myself. "But it's okay if there's something that you want to do, please do it." S

he looks at me as if I'm crazy and then leans up, placing a feather light kiss on my cheek. Of course, I can't actually feel it but I don't care. She kissed me. That's good enough. It means that there's something there. There's definitely something she is feeling for me but she's probably not admitting it to herself.

I smile, bringing my hand up to the spot on my cheek where her lips had been. It's an incredible feeling that I'm sure would just go out of this world if we were able to exchange feelings like two normal people. But, since we are, for all intensive purposes, one person, we can't do that.

I feel arms around my shoulders and looks down. She's got her arms wrapped around her shoulders in an attempt to hug me. My mouth falls open again but this time I say nothing, closing my eyes and enjoying it when her grip tightens. Oh how I wish I could wrap her in a huge, affectionate hug of my own. I have never wanted anything more since I died. But I know I cannot and so this moment is judged as completely bittersweet.

"You know, you probably don't know this," She states suddenly, catching me off guard again. "But I like having you around most of the time."

Now I realize what it is that's been upsetting her. It's my time limit. But that's not for a while yet. "Tazusa, please don't be upset over that. I'm not going anywhere for a while. I'll still be here to bug you for another so many weeks."

She nods. "About seventy-nine days."

I am shocked again. "You knew?"

Our eyes meet. "I couldn't forget."

Nodding my head, I place a hand on her shoulder and she looks at me. "Tazusa, I don't want you to be sad for any of my remaining time. While I'm here, please be happy. It suits you more when you smile energetically." Giving me a lengthy nod she stands again when she is called to go and eat.

The following night we meet up with Sasaki at the school. "Okay," He tells her. "This is apparently a role playing game. There are no actors. In short, what's going to happen is all that of the audience members will get dressed up as characters. We will all get a card explaining our character before we go in and a card along with it that says whether we are guilty or not. There will be a list posted on the door of all of the other characters names and biographical information on it. Then we have to go around and talk to all the people and try to figure out who killed the non-existent dead guy."

She looks up at him, nodding her head,, trying to follow along. "Only the person with the guilty card will know that they our guilty and it is our job to try and figure out who did it."

She smiles. "It sounds interesting."

He shrugs and smiles. "It's a free meal."

So, Tazusa and Sasaki separate to their respective changing rooms, Tazusa getting changed into a beautiful floor-length Japanese kimono. It is a creamy white color with gold stitching and intricate flower patterns running up and down the sides. When she takes off the blindfold to reveal the outfit, I am utterly awestruck.

She is the most gorgeous traditional Japanese girl that I've ever seen. Her hair is done up into a neat bun, two loops of hair streaming back to meet it behind her shorter length hair in the front. She has her usual make up on, choosing a more contemporary style as apposed to going completely old school. I nod, appearing beside her. "You look fantastic."

Her face goes a little pink and she nods to me before exiting the changing stall and meeting up with Sasaki in the hallway again. He smiles at her. "That's a good choice. It suits you well."

She nods her head, looking timid once more. "Thank you, Hideaki-kun," She is so sweet to him that I think I'm going to be sick. Way to ruin my appetite right before a nice meal like this Tazusa.

We go in, men at the doorway handing out cards to people as they ask their names at the door. Tazusa takes hers with a smile and follows Sasaki to their seats. They sit, having a short conversation until the salads brought around. Here comes the part that I hate. Knowing her, she'll want to tease me with these damn fruits. However, she eats the whole salad without touching them at all.

The next thing to come around during the salad is the cocktail juices and onigiri. The show begins, the announcer filling us in on what each character is doing in the club tonight

We are allowed to get up and walk around and talk with the other guests as well, trying to get a feel for what has happened in the play we are acting out. After the final person, Tazusa and Sasaki return to their table and take a seat. They look at one another. "So, who do you think it is?" He asks, merely curious. She shrugs, lingering on the mystery.

Smiling, he pretends to pout at her. "Ah, come on. Tell me yours if I tell you mine?"

So she gives in. She's completely different around him than she is around me. Why can't Tazusa ever give in when I say something like that? It sure would make things between us a whole lot smoother. "All right, all right"

Playfully, she leans over and whispers into his ear. He nods. "That's actually who I thought it was too," He admits and her eyes widen, looking happy. I can't help but to chime in as well. _Yeah, go for the least suspicious character. That's usually right on the money._ She winks at me, I can tell because she turns slightly away from her date to do so.

Her wink is the best in the whole world! I've never seen anything so incredibly cute. It's almost unbearable.

The next thing to come around is the main course, a beautiful sirloin cut steak with potatoes as a side. It is covered in a garlic sauce. We begin to eat and she glances over at Sasaki. We notice that he has a red mark on the side of his face. He begins to scratch. Curious, she tilts her head to one side as more of them begin to appear and it all sinks in. He looks at her, trying to smile.

"Oh I knew it. You're allergic to something aren't you?" He shakes his head but she can see right through this, it's futile of him to try at this point. She stands up and takes him out in the hall, having someone direct them to the nurse's office.

She lays the boy back on one of the padded beds and he watches while Tazusa looks for something to give him for the rash. Looking through some of the medical supplies she finally finds a Benadryl case and takes a seat on the bed beside him, having him sit up so that she can feed him the liquid.

"Thanks," He blurts in between drinks of the medicine.

She lays him back, leaning over the boy slightly and smiling at him. "No problem."

They leave early, Tazusa taking him back to her house, not accepting no as a response. He sits beside her in the taxi, looking a little glum. Tazusa glances over at him. "Hideaki-kun?" The girl questions softly and I grit my teeth. That's just so annoying. She's so nice to him. Why is she only nice to him all the time?

He glances up at her as well, still taking sips from the bottle of medicine to make sure the hives don't return. She laughs slightly, snatching the bottle from his hand. "No more for you mister, you've reached the bar's limit for the night." I can't help my smile at this but when she pulls him closer, allowing him to lean on her shoulder, I feel like I could burst apart. I've never been so angry.

He cuddles in until he's good and comfortable too. I wish I could punch him in the face. I want to hit him so badly that it's not even close to being funny. He sighs. "I ruined another night, it looks like."

She shakes her head. "Don't say that. It was fun, for the little time that we were there. I had a lot of fun." This is so heart wrenching. Here is the girl that I like, all cuddled up with some other guy, telling him that everything will be okay.

I just care about her so much. I have ever since I met her and I don't know why. The more I think about it, the more it makes my head hurt. I've been trying to remember things for days now and I just can't do it. Why is it that I care about her so much after just a few days of knowing her? Is there really such a thing as love upon possession? No, that can't be. That just sounds stupid and corny. I can't think of any reason for this and it's driving me crazy.

I know that you don't always have to have a reason to care about someone, that's more than true. But it feels like there some underlying cause to me. There's something I should know and I don't know it and it's making me freak. _Why do I know you?_ I keep asking myself in my mind. _Why are you so familiar?_ But, as many times as I rack my brain I am unable to come up with anything. I can't get it straight.

The cab pulls into the loop driveway, dropping her and Sasaki off at the door. She pulls him out, his head bobbing as he tries to stand up straight. After all of that Benadryl, I have to bet the world is just full of pretty colors right now. I'm so glad he's not the one I'm possessing. Tazusa, unable to open the door herself, simply kicks the bottom of the door with her foot and two seconds later the coach answers.

His eyes widen, looking horrified at the sight before him. "Tazusa! What in the world is going on?"

The skater shakes her head at the older man. "It's not what you think. Hideaki-kun is allergic to garlic and had a really bad break out which could only be cured by a ton of medicine. He didn't handle the medicine well either…"

"What are you talking about?" Sasaki interrupts, looking thoroughly sloshed. "I'm one hundred percent a-okay! Never been better!" He lifts a hand into the air, apparently using what was left of his current strength and then his head falls onto her shoulder. She looks a bit exasperated and turns to the coach, who is looking at the boy with the same expression.

"Yeah," Tazusa sounds sardonic as ever saying this to him. "Anyway, I need to let him rest for a bit."

Takashima nods, allowing her to pass and Yoko and her friend stare as she lays the boy down on the couch. "Is that Mr. Friday the thirteenth?" The younger girl asks, making Tazusa look up as she comes into the room with a younger boy.

"Yeah, it's him," Tazusa sounds more worried than ever but my thought processes are currently full to the brim of thoughts trying to gather information on her. I don't know why but tonight more than ever I've been remembering things that haven't happened and I know they were real.

Yoko smiles. "What happened? Is he hammered or something?"

Tazusa sighs, lowering her head a bit, still extremely worried. "Or something," She replies quietly. "Could you go and get a cold rag and a bucket full of water?"

We sit there for a while when Hideaki's asleep, Tazusa staring at him, very worried. I sit beside her, gently placing a hand over hers. She looks up at me. "I hope he'll be all right,"

I nod, trying to be as comforting as I can. "I'm sure that he'll be just fine." I can't do this. I can't be comforting when she's worrying about some other guy. That didn't sound comforting at all. It just sounded jealous and spiteful.

I lift my hands. "I didn't mean it like that. I really hope that he does get better," This time I sound a little better, but I have to really force myself to do it.

She smiles at me, getting up and walking upstairs to her room and shutting the door. "Pete, why are you being so nice to me?"

I gasp, not having expected to hear this, but I try to avoid the answer I want to give anyway. "Because you're my friend. I want to help you, I promised that I'd help you…"

"There's something else," She states and I stiffen. Has she all ready figured it out? "You've said you feel like you know me from somewhere as well. What do you think?"

I nod at this, placing a thumb and index finger under my chin, trying to think about it. "It's true that I feel like I know you. From the moment I first possessed you everything seemed familiar. Not just you on your own but everything around you. All the people you know, the places that you go, your family, your room, all the other rooms in this house…" She is staring at me. I feel so awkward under her gaze. There is so much intensity to it.

She lowers her head. "Have you been thinking about it a lot? You've been considerably more silent lately."

I nod. "I want to know." I step closer to her, as if I could accomplish the feeling of touching her just by doing so. "I want to understand this familiar feeling. I want to know why I am remembering parts of things…"

She nods at this. "I want to know too."

I nod at her.

"Do you think this all happened before now?" After a lengthy pause, it leaves her mouth before either of us has time to react. My eyes snap to hers. Her hands cover her mouth, seemingly embarrassed at the intrusive question.

I shrug, trying my best to not let her think I am mad at her for asking, because I am not. "I don't know. I know that I couldn't have died twice,"

She nods at me as well.

"Think about it," She tells me. "Think about it and I'll think about it and if you come up with anything first, let me know."

I nod. I want to know about it as badly as she does. Why does skating seem all that familiar? Why is it her life, her house, her family and friends all seem like things I've known before? Why is it that Tazusa herself is so familiar to me? I can't figure it out.

Out of nowhere Tazusa begins to lean in, looking like she's going to kiss me. I don't say anything but only remain still, too petrified to respond to anything. My eyes suddenly widen. This _has_ happened before! I remember it clearly.

"_I definitely don't want you to go kissing some other guy!" I yell, thinking how the only one she should want to be with should be me even though it's never going to happen. She pauses, gasping loudly and jerking back away from me. I have really startled her. Her face begins to turn red and I know that it's me who's blushing, not her. My mouth drops open._

"_Pete," Tazusa says in a voice she only reserves for talking with Sasaki these days. "You can see my blush, right?"_

_I nod. "Yeah." I sure am blushing a lot. Well it is quite the predicament. I basically just admitted to having feelings for her._

_She leans in carefully and I remember thinking, _"This can't be!"_ and I was right. Just as our lips are about to touch she stops, her breath hitting my face for only a fraction of a second before I open my eyes to find that this whole time she has just been messing with me. _

I stand in front of her now as she backs away, looking up at me curiously. We hadn't kissed this time either. "You remembered something, didn't you?" Just as I am about to answer, Yoko interrupts.

"Hey, Tazu-nee, your house guest woke up!" She turns and runs out of the room, completely putting the conversation on the back burner for a while. She is at his side faster than I could count the second.

He smiles up at her. "Hey,"

She is gentle. "How are you feeling?"

He nods. "As good as I could be, the equivalent of being run down by a bus . Thanks for the drugs, you really saved me there."

She giggles a bit and nods her head. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"I've never eaten anything with garlic in it before, so I had no idea I was allergic."

She, feeling a bit exasperated, shakes her head at the boy. "That's something that you should really know before going to a place where they'll serve a food you haven't eaten before."

Sasaki nods, looking disappointed. "Yeah, I guess that's true." I sit across from Tazusa, watching her as more and more of my memories begin slowly filtering back into my mind. Like the time we first met and her eating tomatoes and snapping at the media. My eyes widen as I begin to slowly piece it together. We skated together too, when I had possessed her before. On that video we watched a while back, she had been talking to me. Everything fits together so well.

I don't know how I couldn't have seen it before. I look over to Tazusa again to ask her to talk to me about it, but my mouth hits the floor as I come to realize that she is completely still. It's almost as if someone froze her in place.

"_Pete Pumps," _Says a familiar voice. My eyes widen. No, it can't be time to go back this soon. I can't leave Tazusa yet. They said one hundred days and I want to have all one hundred days.

"_Relax Pete, you are not coming to heaven just yet. You have a life to live." _My eyes widen even more. I don't understand what he is saying. _"You probably don't yet recall the deal we made. I gave you one hundred extra days to come to love one another again and now you've somehow managed to regain your memories on your own. I know you don't know how this happened, but I allowed it. However, there is a condition to you having your memories."_

I gasp, nodding my head. "Okay. May I ask what that is?"

"_You may not, under any circumstances directly say anything to Tazusa about your past." _

My breath leaves me and I glance over at Tazusa leaning over Sasaki's side watching over him from her spot on the floor beside the couch. "Well then how am I supposed to…"

"_How are you supposed to make her remember? That is also something I want you to figure out on your own. You have the rest of the time to make her fall in love with you or you will have to come back to heaven with me and she goes back to thinking of you as nothing more than a memory."_

Well this is just great, here I had promised Tazusa that I'd tell her everything if I thought about it first and now not only am I going to have to break my promise, I'm also going to have to lie to her. I hate this. Why does it have to be like this? And when Tazusa is in another relationship to boot, which is just my luck.

"_Good luck Pete Pumps," _The voice now disappears and Tazusa and Sasaki are mobile again. I look over at the two of them, still frozen from the whole conversation. Sasaki smiles up at her again and I could about jump onto him and just kill him. As much as I'd ever imagined myself hating him before, I hate him even more now that I understand the gravity of my situation. Tazusa is right, only seventy-nine some odd days is not enough time. It's way too short. How I am supposed to get her to love me again if she is all ready starting to love someone else?

But I can't give up either, not when I care about her so much. I'll not just sit idly on the sidelines anymore. I can't afford to do that now. Somehow I've gotta come up with a plan. I've gotta think of something that will make her remember without my having to say it outright. But, how in the world am I going to go about that?

We go up to go to bed that night and she pauses, standing in front of her door, as if waiting for me to do something.

I stand beside her, swallowing harshly. "What is it Tazusa?" I am hoping to god that she doesn't ask the question because I'm surely going to hate myself if I have to lie to her.

"Have you thought of anything since we talked last?"

I am crushed, glaring up at the ceiling as if I am glaring straight at god. _"Now you're just being mean for no reason!"_ This is one of the worst situations that I think I've ever been in. I bite my tongue for a minute to keep from trying to get her to remember and then smile sadly at her. "I haven't. I'm sorry,"

She shrugs. "Well, it's like you said, we have plenty of time to find what I'm looking for. Right?"

My face falls. _Yeah, we have plenty of time all right._

"Hey, are you okay Pete?" She asks and when I realize that I've made her worry, I put on a happy act.

"I'm fine! You know when I have to think too much sometimes I just loose track of my own actions," I lie and she waves it off, going and getting into bed. I sigh as I watch her begin to fall asleep, lying facing her on the bed. _I promise Tazusa, for your sake and for mine I'll make you remember somehow. I just have to figure out how._

If I hadn't reached my breaking point before, I am definitely there now. Tonight was it. Tonight was the breaking point.


	8. Don't Kiss Me then Leave Me

Devine Intervention

Chapter seven

We're down to the last couple of weeks until Pete has to return to heaven and I still can't remember much of anything at all. I know he's been trying to help by thinking about it but, as far as I can tell he hasn't been able to come up with anything either. I'm worried about him. He just looks so sad anymore. He's so happy all the time that I used to think being down once in a while would do him some good but the truth is this does neither of us any good. I don't like him being all upset like this. He's quiet and mostly absent through our practices and tries his hardest not to make me mad. But with this little time left, I don't want to be mad at him. I can't being myself to be mad at him at all. I wish he'd tell me what's wrong but whenever I ask him he just tries to play it off like he's okay.

I wonder if he's worried about me. Maybe that's it. He's worried how I'll take it once he's gone. I don't want him to worry like this anymore. I'm actually staring to get mad. I pause in my practice, coming to a stand still on the ice. "Pete."

He appears beside me. "Yeah?"

"Are you worrying about me? I mean after you have to go back to heaven again, are you worrying about what I'll do?"

His eyelids are shaking. I could about cry at the lost look on Pete's face. He's grown on me over these past few months and sure, having him disappear is going to be hard but I have to be brave so that he doesn't worry about me. "You don't have to worry like that," I say, watching as his face moves up a bit, his eyes connecting with mine. "I'll be fine. When you're gone, I'll be okay."

He nods at this, somehow looking even more sad. Could it be that this was the cause of his problem to begin with? Instead of worrying about me, he just doesn't want to leave me? Could that be it?

"Pete," I say again as he looks at me, curious. "Are you…" But a voice interrupts us. I look over toward where I thought I heard the sound come from and there stands Hideaki.

Pete doesn't even growl or protest when he sees him. He simply disappears back inside of me. I force a smile and glide over to him. This has been my other most recent problem. Hideaki-kun has been acting weird around me lately as well. He's been distant and whenever I talk about something that could happen in the future he gets quiet and his face holds a sad look. I'm starting to wonder if this is another relationship gone wrong.

"Hey you," I say, feigning happiness.

He nods at me. "I need to talk to you about something."

My mouth falls open. Oh great, here it comes, the big dramatic break up scene that I was hoping wouldn't happen with us. I had been starting to think this was going to be the relationship, the one that would last. I guess I was wrong.

"Don't get me wrong. I like you a lot. Hell no, that's a lie. I love you. But…well, you may want to sit down,"

I nod at him and take a seat on the bench, taking my skates off to talk to him. "What's the matter? Did I do something?" I ask, Sasaki shaking his head ferociously.

"No, honestly this is going to sound lame and cheap on so many levels. It's me it's not you," He takes a seat beside me, looking ashamed.

He turns to me and takes my hands, looking down at our hands clasped together and then our eyes meet. "My family is moving to America."

My eyes widen and my heart almost stops. "What?" I get to my feet, beginning to get extremely upset. He sighs, standing up after me and reaches out, taking my hands in his again.

"I didn't know that this was going to happen until last week, honestly. I won't be leaving for another three weeks."

My eyes widen at this. The exact same amount of time left until Pete has to go back to heaven. I feel my heart begin to sink lower and lower. Everyone is going to leave. Hideaki's grip on my hands tightens, getting me to look up at him. His eyes plead with me. I know what it is he wants from me and freeze up, wondering what Pete is thinking. He appears beside me, looking about ready pass out. "Are you seriously thinking about it?" I narrow my eyes at the boy and he nods, looking upset now.

I look into Hideaki's eyes, the amber pools shining with sorrow. His hand lightly traces the side of my jaw. "I'm sorry that it has to be like this."

I nod, my heart feeling as if it's being squished inside of his hand. But I know it's not in his control and that there's nothing I can do. His eyes soften a little bit as his hand comes to rest, covering my cheek. I blink a couple of times, trying to keep myself from crying in front of him. I can't cry because then he'll be upset and I don't want that.

I give him my biggest smile before leaning in and pressing my lips gently against his. It's not the romantic first kiss I thought it would be. Something doesn't feel right. It's like I'm kissing the wrong person or something. Not that it's not a good first kiss because it definitely is, but I guess it might just be that under these circumstances…no, that's not it either.

I back away, my hand rubbing the side of his face. He leans into me a little, as if this will prevent him from leaving. But, we both know that's impossible. No matter how much I'd rather he be able to stay with me, he has to go.

I grin. "Do your very best work in America," I tell him, bracing my hands on his shoulders in an attempt at encouragement.

He nods back at me, handing me a slip of paper. "All of the information you'll need is on that paper, if you want to come and see me off. The date, the time, the correct airport, everything. If you do come, I'll give you a better kiss then!" He gives me a playful wink and I can't help a smile as I nod.

"Sure, I'll be there."

As I walk home from the rink, I can't help but feel more and more depressed. So, Pete and Hideaki are both going to be leaving me on the same day huh? That's how it's going to be? Pete appears beside me, I know he's there but I don't look up. I don't want him to see my face, not even if he all ready knows what I feel. I won't have it.

"Tazusa." He says, I clear my throat meaningfully.

"What do you want?" I hear him make a shocked sound.

"Why are we suddenly going back to the way things used to be? You're going to start calling me names and eating tomatoes and things like that again, huh?" He's trying his hand at humor, so I know he's trying to cheer me up and I'll give him that, but I don't want it right now.

"I'll do whatever it is that I feel like doing," I place my bag down at the foot of my bed and flop down onto the comforter. My heart feels like someone is crushing it, prolonging every second to make it all the more painful. I want to cry, I really do and can feel it as my eyes begin to brim with tears.

Here Hideaki-kun is going to leave and I can't even sort out the way that I feel. What is it that I feel for him exactly? I know that it can't be love because when I kissed him, I felt no sparks. I'm told that the kiss with the boy you fall in love with would be full of energy, something neither of you could stop. But I hadn't felt that when I had kissed him. It felt more like a protection device, something I had merely done to keep him from being upset, to shield his heart. It did not feel like a romantic kiss. I lift my head a little, so I don't love him then, that much is settled. Now, what_ is_ it that I feel?

I close my eyes and try to think about it but all I keep seeing is snapshots of Pete or snapshots of Hideaki-kun and it all jumbles up so fast that I don't know what to do with it. I tug at my hair in frustration, rolling over onto my back and staring at the ceiling for a few seconds. But it's not long before Pete appears above me, looking concerned.

I make a face. "Can't you see that I'm trying to think right now?"

He nods. "I can see that clearly. But you look so troubled. Talk to me about it, that helps in these situations."

I only feel more agitated than before. I want him to just leave me alone for a while, just so I can think by myself. "Pete, shut up. You're so loud!"

He whines. "Why do I have to? All I want to do is help you!" I can feel myself begin to shake but I don't know if it's because I'm angry or because I want to cry so badly.

If I could I'd reach out and grab his collar and just shake him until he shuts up. But I can't do that, it won't have any effect on him.

"Come on Tazusa, talk to me…please talk to me. I want to know your problems. I want to help you through it! I'm sorry that he's going to have to leave you, really I am…"

I don't know what possess me to do this but I suddenly lean up, capturing his lips with my own. I don't feel his lips against mine of course but I know they're there and just knowing that makes it worth the while. Originally the kiss was only intended as a tool just to keep him quiet but it turned into something along the way and even if I can't feel his lips against mine, the spark is there. I feel it, only a little and only just for a few seconds, but I do feel something there.

I try not to let it show on the outside, but on the inside I'm so messed up. How could I have kissed Pete just now and felt something? Why was it that I chose to kiss Pete to begin with? There are so many other ways to get him to be quiet. I could have just eaten a tomato or told him to shut up until he listened, but no, I had to chose this route.

Great, now how am I supposed to explain myself to him? Brilliant reply: I can't! There is no way for me to explain a random thing like that, especially when I had felt something while doing it. I pull back and to make matters worse, Pete is just staring at me, looking shocked.

"T-Tazusa!" He is questioning me and I know why. It's perfectly understandable that he'd be questioning such a rash move like that. But I can't answer his question if I don't understand it myself. I stand up and try to take a walk but he places a hand on my shoulder. I turn to face him.

"Tazusa, even if you leave, you know I'll be going with you right? We're stuck together!" Something in his eyes changes at this moment and I feel I know what's going to happen. His hand moves over mine, his fingers lacing together with my fingers. He steps closer. "If there's any regrets you have it'd be a good time to tell me because in about ten seconds, I'm going to kiss you."

I am stunned to silence. I don't understand how he got "I like you" out of that kiss just now. Wait, what had he gotten out of that kiss just now? If I had felt something during a kiss that was merely intended to silence him then what had he felt? I don't know what's happening here. Pete's getting so close, closer than he's ever been and surprisingly, a little at a time, I feel myself giving into it. I feel like I want to kiss him. I know that he wants to kiss me. I know that there are feelings there for me. Why else would he care? But if I don't know how I feel then letting him kiss me isn't something that I should be doing is it? I can't lead him on when I don't know my feelings. It's all happening so fast that I don't know what to think. I don't know any other way to react than the way I do at this moment.

Pulling back, I swing and slap myself hard in the face. What's funny about it this time is that I'm not sure whether I'm doing it to punish him or to punish myself. It's the first time I've ever hurt myself to get at him and have felt like this afterward.

"Tazusa…" He sounds upset.

"I'm sorry…" I wave it off. I've had enough of this for one day. Kiss me then leave me, kiss me then leave me. I'm getting tired of it. If they really all cared so much they wouldn't leave. Now I know that I'm being irrational but I don't care at all. I want both of them to stay with me. I don't want to be alone.

But the only thing that I do know right now is that I need time to sort this all out on my own. That means no Hideaki-kun speaking to me and no Pete trying to be comforting. All I need is some air and I can think all this through. That's simply the way it must be if they must leave. "Pete, just leave me alone for a while okay? I need time to think about this and you are not helping at all currently." I don't look at Pete but instead stare at the floor until I hear him make a disappointed sound and then he disappears.

I take an early shower that afternoon and then go to bed at about six, setting my alarm for that time in the morning tomorrow. Maybe a good run will help me clear my jumbled thoughts. So much has happened in the course of this one day that I'm having trouble coming to terms with it. First I find out that I guy I thought I loved is going to move away and then when I kissed him I didn't feel anything. So, as if that wasn't confusing enough I later had kissed Pete just to get him to shut his mouth and what possessed me to do that I'll never know. At that, when I kissed the ghost, even though I had not been able to feel his lips on mine, knowing that I was kissing him at least, I had felt something. I felt the spark that I didn't feel when I had kissed Hideaki-kun. But why is that? Is it because there are feelings that I have for Pete? All this time, if that is true, how could I not have noticed being in love? This is so confusing! I don't know what I'm supposed to do. Falling asleep to silence that night, I wake up the next day feeling very little like I've actually rested. I sit up and slowly get out of bed, going and getting changed.

I take a long run, turning my music up just loud enough to hear. I am more confused than I've ever been in my whole life. I really care about both of these boys. But to me…who is the one that means the most? I mean, I obviously can't be with either one of them. I have no chance either way. But out of the two, the one I have real feelings for is…who exactly?

The next couple days are the same for me, up until I begin to realize that I miss Pete's ranting more than anything in the world. I am lonely when he is not talking with me. I constantly want to open my mouth and say something to him, only to remember that I had told him to leave me alone. And as I am thinking about Pete, I am thinking less and less about Hideaki-kun.

It's not that I don't care about him at all, on the contrary, I thought he was a good guy and a wonderful friend, but I'm starting to see that maybe that's all we were going to be. All we are ever going to be.

And when it all becomes more complicated in my mind, I begin to think how Hideaki is just going overseas to a place his family likes better than here and he could get on a plane at anytime and be able to come back here.

But it's a different story with Pete. When Pete leaves, he is gone for good. There will be no long-distance phone calls or letters. I can't get on a plane and fly to heaven to see him.

When Pete leaves, Pete will go to a place that I can't go to until it's my time and I don't want to die any time soon, so I am hoping that's not for a while yet. However, as the day draws nearer and nearer and I have less and less time with Pete, I am beginning to miss him more than anything all ready. I don't want him to go away.

The kicker is, this all seems so familiar. It's like it's happened before. It's like I'm losing Pete all over again and when I try to recall this feeling, I am overcome with pain that I can't get past. I can't help it. This had to have happened before, no matter what Pete says. Because lately, just like Pete had been up until recently, I've been remembering things that I cannot tell have really happened.

At first it was only little snapshots, little stills of images in my mind that I can see having happened before. But I couldn't place them and that's what had been driving me crazy since Hideaki told me he was going to leave. Then it had escalated to the point where I'd space out and suddenly begin to have a short flashback or something to that effect. When that had finally begun to fade, all the pieces were coming together like a big puzzle.

I shake my head, continuing on down the street and turn my music up to the highest volume, trying to escape the madness in my mind, if only for a moment. It seems that the harder I've thought about it, the less it is I actually remember.

I lay down on my bed after the run, knowing that Pete is standing at my bedside and is looking worried.

"Pete." I say. He seems to be ignoring me. "Pete, answer me."

He sounds pouty. "Why? Aren't I just a burden? I'm just an annoying, perverted ghost that's always in your way?"

I turn and look at him, a smile filling my face. He seems to be making me feel better without even having tried to do so. I don't understand how it is he came to be someone who understands what it is I need so well. "You sure are."

His face falls, making me giggle. "But that's why I like you. You're okay sometimes." He looks back at me again, trying to understand what I'm saying. We come to a silent understanding.

"I want to make every moment staring from this moment until the moment you have to leave count, Pete."

He nods at me. "I'm glad. I do too Tazusa." I don't think I'm going to cope well with it when Pete's gone. I really can't stand the fact that he's leaving. It almost dwarfs how I felt when I found out that Hideaki was going to move. This feeling, I can't explain it, but it's so familiar. I wish I could place it. I wish I could sort it out because then I could put Pete at ease.

I know he's confused about that kiss and I know that he wants me to elaborate, but I'm just not sure that I am ready to do that yet. However, I do want to know what is going on in his head. I want to understand how he feels. I think I've got a good idea all ready, but it's never really clear with him.

"Pete?" I ask as the blond boy smiles down at me, looking the best kind of casual he probably can muster.

"Yeah?"

I grin. "Tell me what you feel."

Looking shocked, he recoils a bit. "What?"

I nod, as if trying to make some sort of decision clear. "Tell me what you feel." I simply repeat it without elaborating. He nods at length and sighs deeply but he doesn't say anything tangible.

"So you kind of have a thing for me, huh?" I ask, feeling my face begin to heat up as he grows embarrassed.

"Nah," He states, waving his hand at me. "No way. I love you. For every reason I can think of, and for absolutely no reason at all." It's so serious. I've never heard any feelings conveyed more truthfully. He wants me to know something that he isn't saying, since I've been doing that to him lately, I decide to let it go.

"Ahh Pete," I take a deep breath here. "When I've figured it out, I will tell you what I feel, but when that time comes, you have to be ready for it, all right? I don't want to have to answer back if you're going to dodge me or ignore me."

He chuckles and then nods his head. "I'm more than ready for it, so I'll be more than ready for it then too."

The next couple of weeks go by rather smoothly. Spending summertime at the pool going swimming, at the rink practicing, at home listening to music or being with Mika. Before I know how much time has gone by, it is two days before Hideaki's plane is scheduled to take off and also two days before Pete has to leave.

I lay in bed that night, Pete laying opposite of me, facing my way. I've been shaking again. Every single time I think he's going to leave me I start trembling. Of course I know that this can only mean one thing. But I want to say it to him. He told me how he felt right to me, not worried about being embarrassed or whether I might get mad or not. So, I don't want to be a coward. Sakurano Tazusa never hides.

I stare into Pete's big blue eyes. He's doing his best to remain completely still. I know what he wants, but we know it's impossible. He can't hug me without having a body to begin with. I know that he can tell I'm upset and I know that he wants to do something, so I offer him this. "Pete, promise to think about me in heaven?"

His eyes widen a little bit. He slides away from me but only for a few seconds until it sinks in and then he moves back closer, his eyes closing. His mouth curves up into a small, caring smile. "It wouldn't be paradise without you."

I smile. "But do you promise?"

His eyes open, locking onto mine. "Of course."

But I am still not satisfied.

"I want to hear you say it. Say 'I promise'."

He knows that I believe in what he says and he understands that what I want is some closer. "No matter where it is I go," He begins, catching my attention. "I will always be thinking about you. I promise."

I feel tears come into my eyes, a pained smile working it's way across my face.

He reaches out a hand, stopping just shy of touching my eyelids. "Please don't cry. You know I can't do anything when you cry."

I nod my head, wiping the tears away and slide over closer to Pete, closing my eyes. "Thank you," He nods, disappearing back inside of me.

As much as I don't want it to, that day comes and I head to the airport feeling lower than low. Today's gotta be the day. If I don't tell him how I feel, I'll never have another chance. The taxi carries Pete and I all the way to the crowded airport and I have to run to find Hideaki's departure gate in time.

There he stands, looking around trying to find me. His parents are sitting in the seats next to where he stands and I run over just as they begin calling the zones for boarding. He turns and looks at me, a smile filling his features. I grin back.

"Hey you." I state.

"Hey Tazusa I'm glad that you came."

"I'm glad I came too. I'll miss you a lot." I tell him bluntly.

He nods his head at me, his eyes widening meaningfully. "I know that feeling."

He places a hand on the side of my face, the other around the luggage strap on the ground beside him. I look up into his eyes and give him the best apologetic smile I can manage. "I think it's best if we remain good friends, being on separate continents and all." I try my hand at a little humor and I see something in his expression give it away that this has hurt him. I can't put my finger on what it is that has betrayed him, but I know it was there.

"I understand. I still love you though,"

"_Zone 4 passengers may now board,"_ The announcer at the desk calls and we both look over. He turns back to me, looking hesitant.

"That's my zone," He whispers. "I've gotta board."

Biting down on my lip, I jump onto him, giving him a big hug. "Be safe and have fun in America. I'll be writing, so look out for my letters." He nods at this, his hand swiping against my cheek as he leans down, kissing my forehead lightly.

"I guess I'll be hearing from you later then, huh?" I nod at this, waving as he turns and walks away to board the plane. He looks over his shoulder, smiling when he can tell that I really will miss him and he gives a little wave back before disappearing down the boarding ramp.

I watch the plane being pushed out of boarding once all the passengers get on and then follow it as it taxis, sitting in a large window and watching it as it takes off to head overseas. I really hope he can have a good life in America. I hope he finds someone to love there, someone who will love him the way he deserves to be love because he is a good guy.

I'm sorry that it couldn't be me, but my heart just wasn't in it in the end I guess. When I think about it, my heart's really been in another place all along. I just couldn't admit it to myself and I couldn't say it out loud either. But, in my heart I know the truth. I have to say it, now more than ever. I'll never get another chance if I don't. I can't do that to him.

After making it though all of the checkpoints to get back out of the airport, I stand out in the fresh air, looking around at a loss for what to do in a time like this. How do you pick a "perfect" spot to confess to someone? How do you go about knowing when the right time is? I guess though that it depends on your situation and timing and all of that other junk. In my case, anytime before I'm too late is good enough.

I head to the park from the airport, sitting down next to the stream and taking my shoes off, I let my feet fall in. Pete appears beside me looking down upon me and then up towards the sky.

"It'll be time soon," He tells me.

My head shoots up at his words, my eyes connecting with his when he looks back down. "How soon?"

He shrugs. "I don't know exactly when."

"Pete, is there anyway to stay?"

His eyes narrow a bit. "Maybe there is."

We look at one another again. "I don't want you to have to go Pete."

He nods. "I don't want to leave you." My nails dig into the ground in frustration. Why am I putting it off? This is no time to be shy. I have to just gather my courage and shout it at him if that's how it must be done.

Suddenly, I look over, light beginning to surround Pete's body. I know what this means, he will very soon be going away too. His ghostly form begins to rise up away from me and I have to stand as he floats out over the water just to catch up with him. "Pete!" I shout as he starts to disappear. My hand reaches out toward him as if I could grab him and pull him back and that alone would keep him from going away.

"Tazusa," The Canadian says. "I love you."

I bite my lip, feeling my eyelids shaking. "You can't go! You can't! I…I love you too!" His face vanishes, becoming nothing more than the soul that's floating away to heaven. I lower my head, tears clouding my vision. If there was anyone who never should leave my side, it's him. There's no one I'd rather be with and now I'm going to be alone again. Pete, don't you kiss me and then leave me too!

**All right guys come on! Reviews please! I'm dying here! Only constructive criticism and positive feedback as I do not believe it is right to just tear up one's hard work as if it means nothing. But anyway, you all want to find out what will happen to Pete and Tazusa, right?! Then get on it with the reviews and I will post the final chapter and Epilogue! Thanks for reading and please, please, please review this story. It's my longest story and it has the least amount or reviews. Please appease me and just say something nice!**


	9. I Love You

Devine Intervention

Chapter Eight

**Okay, I know that following the pattern of this story, this chapter should be in Pete's point of view…but that just didn't work for me. So this will be the only one that is not following the pattern of the rest of the story. Sorry if that confuses anyone, I just liked doing this chapter in Tazusa's point of view better than in Pete's. Please enjoy and please, please, please leave reviews! This story desperately needs more than two! I hope you all like it!**

How can this be? I was supposed to confess! I wanted to say "I love you." I mean it. My feelings are real. How can they not be enough to keep him from leaving my life forever? How can my feelings for him not be enough to keep us together? Why does he even have to go? They didn't want him 100 days ago. Why do they want him now? And why does it have to be at precisely the moment I was about to tell him how I really feel?

I fall to the ground. I told you idiot! I told you not to kiss me and then leave me too. Tears that I had been holding back before flood my eyes at this thought. I begin to sob, thinking of all the fun we had, all the good times we shared, every annoying thing he said, every sweet thing he said, his desire to live despite being dead already, the way he looked at me, the time he helped me…just thinking of all of it. It's too much to bear.

Why is it that my love isn't enough? Why isn't it enough to keep Pete from going to Heaven and leaving me to live all alone? It's just like he's died all over again to me. He died once in his life, possessed me, and now he's gone and died again.

"Stupid," I find myself whispering this viscously to no one. "Stupid! How does anyone come to die twice? What an idiot!" And now I'm mad at him? It isn't his fault! It's not as if he has control over heaven and can just make things come to be.

He was just a ghost. And he was my friend. It isn't fair that God had to take him away. It just isn't fair at all.

"God…he was my friend!" I whisper again, blaming God this time, instead of Pete. 'He was my friend and I loved him damn it!" This time, I stick to blaming God even though I know it's not his fault either. One hell of a scapegoat.

If I am making a scene, I really don't care at this point. All I want is to have my friend back. I'd rather have him come back to me and possess me for the rest of my life than have him leave and die again.

I sob a bit longer before wiping my eyes and finally giving up.

But suddenly, another bright light blinds me. I look up to try and understand what's going on. There is one flash and then I look out just as someone hits the water. I run out to the person, who seems to be unconscious and I pull their head up about the water, my mouth falling open when I see Pete's face. His soft blond hair, those blue eyes hidden behind sleepy eyelids and that same old long-sleeved, dark blue tee shirt and khaki pants.

I bite my lip. When I had grabbed out for him, he had actually moved. My hand hadn't fallen right through him and moreover, I felt him too. Muscles in his back relax as he sleeps peacefully in my arms. His breath hits my face when I lean down.

I reach out, timidly placing a hand on the side of his face. I can feel his skin under my hand. What does this mean? Is he human now? How did this happen?

But at the same moment all of those thoughts cross my mind, all of the memories that hadn't seemed like real happenings come back to me. All of the tomatoes I ate, all of the different skating events that I had been to, all of the arguments and laughs. It all came back including the deal we made with god. I look up at the sky, raising a hand triumphantly.

"See I told you that the ten billion yen girl could do anything she set her mind to!" Pete makes a noise in my arms, looking as if he's going to wake soon. I look down and quickly realize that we are still standing, fully dressed in the middle of the creek and, with a lot of effort, I pull him out.

I call Takashima coach to come and get us and I pile into the back of the car, Pete sleeping peacefully on my shoulder the whole way. Takashima looks suspicious now. "Who is this young man?" He questions and I giggle.

"He's a very important friend and he's very tired, so can you please get us home?"

He nods, turning back around in the driver's seat.

I lay the boy down on my bed, placing a cold rag over his forehead as I sit down beside him. I place my hand again on the side of his face. I just can't get enough of it. It's weird to reach out to him and actually feel something under my hand. But at the same time, it's absolutely wonderful. I never thought that I'd have the chance to do this. I giggle at my child-like, easily pleased nature. Right now I would be happy with just about anything Pete does. Back when we first met, I never would have thought of doing something like this. If something was going to happen where his face and my hand would be involved, it would be me slapping myself because he was being stupid, again. His eyelids tremble a bit, he stretches out his arms, yawning. I bite my lip, trying to suppress a smile. His eyes open and he looks up at me.

Looking around, his face fills up with a huge grin. I know he's realized where is he is. "Oh," His voice comes after a minute. "I didn't know that heaven looked like the inside of Tazusa's bedroom! Eternity might be nice after all."

I slap his shoulder. "Stop that! You know where you are!"

He nods his head, sitting up. His hand comes up but he's hesitant, almost as if he's sure it still won't work.

I nod, trying to be encouraging. "Go ahead."

He bites down on his lip and reaches out, his hand lightly brushing against the side of my face. Very shortly thereafter, both his hands cup my face. His face draws closer and I know what he's thinking of doing. His eyes are so intent and so focused but he looks slightly frightened. He looks like there's nothing more he's wanted to do for a long time but something is holding him back from moving forward any further.

"I'm here," I say, holding out one of my hands as if presenting myself. "Go on."

His lips only contact mine lightly at first, his eyes shutting slowly. If I had felt a spark kissing him while he was a ghost then these must be explosions because I feel like I'm going to burst apart.

He's an enthusiastic kisser, but is still gentle and shy and patient. His lips leave mine after a few moments and the two of us smile at one another. His thumb rubs my cheek lovingly. "I thought I was going to lose you again."

Tears well up when I see him nod, threatening to fall. But he doesn't allow this now and his hand moves so that he can wipe the tears from my eyes. "Now that I can do something, I'm never going to let you cry, Tazusa."

He tries to move now, standing up from the bed and I reach out after him, but it is too late. As soon as he turns like he's going to leave the room, he falls back down, completely on top of me. I make a face. "This is exactly why I was trying to get to you before you got up. I was going to try and tell you you're still probably going to be dizzy."

The blond smiles sheepishly at this comment, however he does not move. Our eyes lock again and when he begins to lean down, someone clear their throat. Both of our heads turn in the direction of the door to find that Takashima coach, his wife Hitomi, Yoko and her boyfriend and Mika are all standing there, their faces all looking shocked.

"Tazusa!" Coach tries to scold, but it comes out more as if he is asking what is going on. Hitomi just stands there with a hand over her mouth, Yoko makes a face as her boyfriend tries to drag her away from the scene and Mika smiles at me, exasperated. I feel my face quickly become very red and I push Pete off me, standing up and smiling at them as best I can.

"It's not what it looks like! He got up to go to the bathroom or something like that! I was trying to tell him that he would probably still be dizzy but he didn't listen so he fell and it just happened to be in that position! So…it's like…"

Takashima is still staring while Mika just lays the pad of new outfit designs on my dresser. "These…um…I brought them for you to look through…I think I'll go home now…" Her face reddening a little, the girl leaves the doorway, heading downstairs.

"Sakurano-san," Hitomi scolds, but Pete takes this opportunity to try and help me out.

"That really is what happened! I am just not feeling well today and so I fell, she's telling the truth."

Seemingly over it, the coach now nods to me and turns to Hitomi. "Well then, is he going to need anything? If he's sick, he should be taken care of properly,"

Pete holds up his hands sheepishly, shaking his head. "No, I don't need anything else thank you. I'm sorry for causing such an uproar."

"Anyhow," Coach tells us. "Hitomi and I are taking Yoko and her friend out for ice cream." With that, the door closes and when the second door downstairs shuts, both Pete and I burst out laughing. "Did you see the looks on their faces?" He asks, holding his sides. I nod my head as I finish laughing. It's definitely not going to be boring in this house anymore!

We look back at each other in a second or two of silence, which is like the eye of the hurricane, because now we know the laughter will be twice as severe.

It takes two more seconds or so and then we both burst out in hysterical laughter.

I am clutching my sides and Pete has collapsed back onto my bed. "Did you see their faces?!" He chokes out, in between laughing fits.

"I thought the coach was going to pass out!" I answer back, trying hard to breathe.

We finally both fall to silence, finished with the laughing fit. I walk over and sit beside him on the edge of my bed, where he has fallen. He lays with his legs over the side and his arms extended out on either side of his body. I fall back softly onto his arm and he bends his elbow, wrapping me tight in a one-armed embrace. I don't believe I have ever felt more secure, more stable. I might come to like being loved.

"I'm glad we won the bet Pete." I whisper, my hand rubbing his arm.

He smiles a little when he turns to look at me. "I am too," His hand moves some of my bangs out of the way. "I _really_ am."

"It sure is easier…" I grin.

"Yeah, writing you letters from Heaven would be a bit difficult."

"Not what I meant." I clarify.

"Then what do you mean?" The boy looks confused.

"Now I can do this a lot easier!" With that I turn to the boy and pinch his cheek, hard, making his eyes water. "Ha! It doesn't have to be me anymore!"

He rolls his eyes. "Oh no Tazusa! Please! Come on, I just found out I could live on and you already…"

I move away just as he begins to whine and lay with my head on his shoulder. He stares at me quizzically. "I'll save it for later. You're right."

Pete grins. I've never seen anyone look so happy in all my life and I don't believe I ever will again. I am sure I love him and I am sure I want to be with him forever. He snuggles up to me, wrapping both of his arms tightly around me. Wow, I never realized how much bigger than me Pete was. I guess because he was a ghost, it never really seemed relevant. Now that he has a body though, my god I feel tiny!

"Only one thing Pete." I suddenly want to tease again.

"Oh yeah?' He peeks an eye open. "What's that?"

I giggle to myself. "Sleep with one eye open."

Swallowing harshly, he pulls me in against his body more tightly. "Tazusa, why do you have to be mean?"

"Just who I am I guess." I shrug, then smile softly and move further into his embrace.

His arms tighten around me. "Maybe if I just don't let go of you all night long, then you won't have the chance to do anything mean."

I laugh at him. "Right, maybe."

He leans into my ear. "And maybe if I hold you tight enough, you won't want to be mean to me."

I look up at the blond, my mouth open a bit, which then forms into a soft smile. He smiles back. "Maybe." I tell him, which seems to please him.

"But don't count on it."

Pete chuckles. "I won't. I know you."

"Yeah?" I quip, making him look at me with that goofy smile and nod. "Well…I know you better."

He shrugs. "True."

I like it when I win. Winning is fun. I smile and snuggle into his shoulder, finally getting sleepy. It's not night time yet, but is I have to sleep now, well, I guess I just have to sleep. Knowing that Pete's not going anywhere is enough to make the mad adrenaline rush that had been powering me subside and now I am comfy in his arms and exhausted.

It just goes to show what can happen when Devine Intervention comes into play.

**Plea read and review people! I would really like to know what you all are thinking. Remember, I do not want flames. Constructive criticism and positive comments only:) thank you all.**


	10. Epilogue

Devine Intervention

Epilogue

School had begun again after that oh so eventful summer, Pete going to a private all guys school and Tazusa going back to her own school. The skating season has begun again for the year, seeing Tazusa constantly stressing out trying to put together programs. Pete sits in the living room every night with her and helps her go over things, preparing her for their now dual act.

This year, they had entered as a pair, Pete being an amateur skater. Tazusa now has to spend most nights of the week at the rink, helping Pete get used to being on the skates on his own.

He spins back wards, copying her Lutz and the dark haired girl claps for him as he glides by, holding out his hands as if telling her, "That was pretty good, right?" The figure skater nods at him and laces up her skates, joining him out on the ice.

"So," He tells her, sitting beside her on the couch. "The first big skating event of the season is coming up. Do you feel good about it?"

She looks at the boy for a moment before finally working in a smile and nodding at him. "I feel fine. As good as I was before, now I'm better. These will be our flights and nothing will separate us again."

Smiling, the blonde takes her hand, rubbing the back of it affectionately with his thumb. "Right, nothing ever will."

Days pass until the big event, reporters stopping them constantly in the street. "Sakurano-senshu, do you really believe that this season will go well with someone so new as your partner?" The one man asks, holding out his tape recorder toward the skater. Her eyes narrow, looking slightly aggravated. "How do you plan on making it through the season now that you have made a partner? You've always skated solo, won't this effect your performance?"

She begins to open her mouth, about to yell at them at the top of her lungs until she feels Pete's hand tighten around hers. She glances over at the boy, who is giving her a meaningful look. Sighing, she turns back to the reporters with a grin. "The only effect this will have on my performance is making me a better skater. No, I don't think that it will hurt my career to have a partner. But I'm late for practice, so could I answer your questions after?"

Charming them with a big smile, all the reports just melt back away from her and she steps inside, going and putting on her practice outfit.

She waits for Pete beside the rink and smiles when she feels quirky hands poking her in the sides. Turning on her heel, she hits him lightly on the cheek and he blinks a few times, confused. "What was that for?"

She only giggles. "I've just been waiting to be able to hit you and not have it effect me at all!" She turns away then, gliding out over the ice, Pete setting off after her at full speed.

The following evening is the big night and everyone who's anyone has come. The stands are full to the highest capacity with people. All the lights in the arena go down as the first skater begins her act. In the changing room Tazusa takes deep breath after deep breath. It's going to be a long night. This isn't like the end of last season anymore. Now everyone is either expecting her to win a medal or fall down again. She sighs.

There comes a knock at the door. "Hai!" She calls and Pete enters, looking at her worriedly.

"Have you been in here stressing out this whole time?"

She looks at him embarrassed and then lowers her head as she hears him walk over toward her. He lifts her head up and their eyes meet. "Don't worry Tazusa, as always, I'll be right beside you."

Theirs is the third place in the line up. "Currently on the ice representing Japan, the new team of the season Tazusa Sakurano and newcomer Pete Pumps!" The announcer yells as coach wishes Tazusa good luck.

She glides out onto the ice, stopping out in the middle. Pete enters from the other side, smiling at her as he slides to a stop beside her. She smiles back over her shoulder, knowing that this was going to be the first in a long line of flights with Pete that were to come.

The music starts and they're off, turning and jumping and gliding their way around the rink. "The world is ours," They say together, smiling as they make the final turn, finishing with a triple tow loop combination. The crowd goes wild, shouting and screaming adoring fans in the audience yell out as Tazusa gives a final wink and Pete waves.

The program for the evening continues on, all of the other skaters taking their turns until the announcing of the winners. It would appear that Pete and Tazusa have glided their way right into second place as they stand on their respective podium, smiling and waving to the audience.

**Tada! This is the end guys! I hope you enjoyed it. I want to thank all of the people who took the time to favorite this story, favorite me as an author, put the story on story alert, put me on an Author alert or review! Thank you all! It means a lot when people like my work enough to take time out of their busy live to tell me about it. And I have said it before and will say it again. I take requests, so if anyone would like me to write a one-shot story for this anime or any of the anime that I have listed on my profile, please just ask me! I'll do my very best!**

**Also, I am a beta reader and I am currently taking requests if anyone would like pointers or someone to just correct the mistakes or whatever, I will also do my very best!**

**So this story has gotten some recent attention and I appreciate any reviews for this! I'm so grateful to everyone who takes the time to read my stories on here and even more grateful to my fans who take the time out of their busy live to review it once they are done! Thank you everyone and once again, I relaly hope you enjoyed the Epilogue and FINAL part or Devine Intervention! **

**Oh and…Pete and Tazusa for-freaking-ever! hahaha**


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